


A Terrible Nightmare

by Leyna055



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Abandonment, Abuse, Adopted Sibling Relationship (Bad), Adoption, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Amnesia, Angst, Asexual Character, Betrayal, Bipolar Disorder, Bullying, Cheating, Chronic Illness, DON'T READ ALL THE TAGS SPOILER ALERT BUT YOU CAN IF YOU WANT TO, Depression, F/F, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, False Accusations, Forced Personality, Homelessness, Human K1-B0 (Dangan Ronpa), It's Not Paranoia If They're Really Out To Get You, M/M, Manipulative Relationship/Friendship, Memory Loss, Mental Instability, Money Issues (Poor), Multi, Not being who you really are, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Partner Betrayal, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Harassment, Simulation AU, Suicidal Thoughts, Tags Contain Spoilers, Trauma, Unhealthy Obsession, Unhealthy Relationships, anger issues, low self-esteem issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2019-10-01 21:02:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 61,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17251343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leyna055/pseuds/Leyna055
Summary: After waking up from their horrible experience, tensions become awkward. Memories are confusing. Thoughts are conflicting. Their pasts and their problems keep getting in the way. Everything is just a big mess for them to just break down. Which one is the nightmare?In which all 16 students are still alive and underwent a simulation





	1. Death | Victims

3rd person's POV

Rantaro remembers. He was observing the area for any signs of the mastermind and their identity. He started to walk away.

FLASH

_'What the...?'_

How he stood there as he watched something flash. He walked towards the direction of the light. He reached out and started to dig through the books. Suddenly-

THUNK!

A shot put ball landed next to him. He observed the ball. How'd that get there? Suddenly, he felt a rustling sound behind him. Impossible, the door didn't open. He barely saw the bespectacled girl as his head felt blaring pain. It hurt so much. A searing, white, hard pain hit the back of his head with a crunch. It just hurt so much. Rantaro's body hit the floor with a thud. He winced as his body hit the floor with a whack.

"He...lp..." the green haired male whispered to himself.

He could hear giggles as he felt liquid of some sort near the side of his head. His blood. He felt the warm liquid touch his cheek. Rantaro's head pounded with pain. He saw someones shoes in his wavering vision.

"Sorry, Ultimate Survivor. I have to do something, or the game won't continue," a familiar voice laughed.

On instinct, he almost struck the face that appeared in his line of sight. Tsumugi grinned in all her glory. She was blushing all weird, with a wild look in her eyes as if she had another anime marathon. Her face was pure bliss, but it really freaked him out.

"Shiro..." he muttered.

_'Crap...'_

As all the pain flooded away, as his vision darkened. He could hear Tsumugi laughing under her breath and walking away. The secret hideout shut with a click.

_' **You're** the mastermind... I guess I won't survive...'_

That's when Rantaro's world went black.

* * *

Ryoma stood there, contemplating Kirumi's words.

_'I envy her. She has people waiting for her. What use is my life if she can save thousands'_

"Hold on. Let me pick up some tennis balls," he said, resigning from his will of life.

He started to pick up the tennis balls. His grip hesitated on the fuzzy neon-yellow tennis ball as he felt a pain on his head as he blacked out.

That should've been it for him. Instead, he awoke to the rush of cold water, awakening his consciousness. The water flooded into his ears, nose, and mouth. He stared at the cuffs on his hands.

_'Now this is cruel,'_ he thought.

He struggled like any normal human would. Breathing in water felt... weird. Suffocating, drowning, or any form of dying that included doing breathing felt strange to him, and he didn't like it. He tried his best to hold in the air in his lungs. Ryoma started to wriggle because of the awkward feeling that was flooding his lungs. He sputtered back at the cold water attacking him and choked on the liquid seeping slowly into his lungs.

_'Just a little longer...!'_

He felt Kirumi's hands shoving him down into the cold water. He thrashed around, scratching the sink. Trickle, by trickle, water started to flood into his lungs. It started getting heavy. The water filled his lungs until they were full. He choked on the liquid. His strength waned as he took his last breath in the cold water of his sink in the research lab.

_'Well, I'm dead now...'_

Now if that really was the end of it. Then, Kirumi dunked his body into a piranha tank. Honestly, if Ryoma were alive during that point, he'd be very confused at Kirumi's doing to his body.

* * *

Angie skipped down the halls.

_'I need a candle. Every ritual does. This is for the sake of my friends. May Atua help you and me, my fellow deceased peers.'_

The floorboards creaked and groaned with every step she took. A feeling bubbled deep down in her gut that something was wrong and that Angie shouldn't be there. She opened the door of a room and saw Korekiyo. He held many working materials like wood, a saw, a bucket of salt, candles, and loads of stuff that even she wouldn't use all for one project. It must've been a really important one.

"Hello, Korekiyo! Atua grants us this blissful meeting this late at night! What are you working on?" Angie asked.

"A project," Korekiyo said, "It's... for a ritual that I thought we should hold tomorrow. A seance."

"Really? How interesting," Angie commented.

"Thank you. What does your deity, Atua, think?" Korekiyo asked.

Angie smiled as she clasped her hands together, "He is very pleased, Korekiyo. Many thanks to your kind and humble soul."

Korekiyo bowed his head with grace, "The pleasure is mine."

"Well, I just need a candle. I'll get going after that," the unsuspecting girl bubbled.

Korekiyo pointed to one all the way at the end of the room, "I think that shall suffice."

"Why thank you!" Angie smiled.

She went over to the candle on the wall. She felt a shadow loom over her. Angie turned as she saw Korekiyo raise a board over her figure.

"Sister..." he whispered to her, more like to himself.

BAM!

The wood collided with her head as an explosion of pain erupted. Angie fainted due to the force on her head and fell with a thud to the ground. Her body was carried down the empty halls. A few squeaks and noises from the wood, and she stopped breathing a few minutes later. Her blood soaked the floor as the serial killer mumbled to himself, saying something about "sister will be happy about this", left, and locked the room.

* * *

Tenko didn't really like Angie, but.... this was for Himiko.

"Remember, don't touch anything else," Korekiyo instructed.

_'This is for Himiko'_

"Got it!" Tenko answered, trying to keep her hatred in for taking orders from a male.

_'This is for Himiko'_

"Put your forehead right there," Korekiyo said.

_'This is for Himiko'_

She bowed down, and put her forehead on the marking stone. Even if she didn't like Angie, Himiko would probably get the chance to talk to her.

"Now, don't move an inch from that spot or the whole seance will be a failure," Korekiyo told her.

"Okay," Tenko said, "You can count on me!"

_'This is for Himiko'_

She felt the cage encase her as she heard it hit the ground. She could hear the flap of the cloth as her surroundings felt more enclosed than ever. The wooden statue made a creak on the metal cage. Tenko heard as the others sang the Caged Child. Their voices synchronizing in harmony. Then, all the candles were blown out and the faint light coming through the cloth completely went dark. Tenko waited expectantly. Sweat went down her neck in anticipation.

_'Any moment now...'_

She felt something wrong. Very wrong in her stomach. She heard creaking noises as suddenly, she heard a thump. At the same time, Tenko breathed in sharply as her stomach lurched. She felt herself being lifted as something went through her neck. The blade, the pain felt terrible, a sharp burning feeling. One that she hoped that she knew what would be her last. It hurt, so much. The pain that burned as the warm blood coated the cold sickle. She wanted it to go away. Still living, Tenko gurgled on the blood coming through her mouth. She couldn't speak. It hurt. Her breathing slowed. It was hard to take in breaths. Tenko couldn't see. Droplets of blood splattering on the ground. She gasped. Tenko never said it. She coughed softly. Blood dripped onto the floor.

_'Himiko...'_

"I.. love you..." Tenko whisper-gurgled.

Tenko's breathing stopped as she fell silently to the floor.

* * *

Miu tightened her grip on the hammer as she made her way up the stairs. She opened the door to the roof. She would finally be able to escape. She wouldn't be captive anymore. Her anxiety enclosed over her. Miu spotted the purple haired boy standing there. Her fingers clenched the hammer as she could feel sweat making her hold on the wooden handle more slippery.

"Kokichi," she said.

"What do you want? A favor?" he asks, "I know what you want."

"I'm sorry, the world needs me... they need their genius," Miu stammered, tripping over her own lies.

_'I'm so sorry, you little shit'_

"What a sorry excuse," Kokichi scoffed.

"I'm surprised you can't see through my own lie..." she whispered.

She raised the hammer. Adrenaline pulsed through her body.

"Sorry," she whispered as Kokichi's eyes narrowed.

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over her. Something wrapped itself around her neck. It suddenly felt hard to breathe. Miu dropped the hammer with a clang.

_'No.... No...! No! **NO**!'_

Fear and adrenaline flooded her body. She gasped. She squirmed as her hands tried to pry off the toilet paper.

_'Damn settings!'_

Sweat trickled down Miu's face as the wind was forced out of her lungs. She gurgled her spit as the air finally left her body. She went limp. Their faces were engraved in her dead memory.

* * *

Kokichi yelped as Maki's arrow hit him in the shoulder.

_'Damn...!'_

He saw another one coming for him. Kaito blocked it. The Ultimate Astronaut winced as the purple haired male's mind formulated a plan.Maki panicked and ran away. Kokichi carried Kaito and dragged him off to the bathroom. Kokichi felt his body weakening. Poison filling his veins. Kokichi locked the door.

_'Gotta fulfill my mission!'_

His body ached with every move he made. He ignored Kaito's yelling. Maki made it back. She was telling Kaito instructions that Kokichi could barely hear. Kaito nodded as Kokichi smirked. The latter rubbed the sweat away on his head. Breathing was getting harder as well. His lungs ached. He made the effort to elbow Kaito and pretended to drink the antidote. He watched weakly as Maki's face paled. He waited patiently to hear her bang and try to destroy the little window, then she ran off. He knelt down next to Kaito, tempted to lay there on the floor. He raised to bottle and forced it down Kaito's throat. The larger male gagged and struggled as the Ultimate Supreme Leader was persistent and poured the entire thing down his throat. A sacrifice for the greater good. Honestly, Kokichi knew himself that the others could care less if he died thanks to all the lies he made to build his wall.

"You gotta help me," Kokichi said weakly as his face was growing pale.

He explained the plan to Kaito as his lungs couldn't take it anymore. A sprinkle of lies here and there; which piled to a mound that just kept growing like all the lies he told. A trickle of blood went down Kokichi's mouth. He weakly squirmed around as Kaito dragged him to the compressing machine. Kaito looked hesitant, but Kokichi insisted. The smaller boy took out the video camera. He trembled. Kaito lay on the cold metal as Kokichi pressed the start button. Right when Kaito went out of view, Kokichi exerted a lot of energy and stopped both the machine and the video camera. Kaito stepped out as Kokichi lay a script on the table.

"Nishishi~ Don't screw up now, Kaito~" he cheered.

"Oh shut up," Kaito said.

Kaito took off Kokichi's jacket as Kokichi clambered onto the machine. He lay in Kaito's jacket, it was big. Kokichi's breathing started to increase its pace. He shut his purple eyes so he couldn't see the next moment. He stared determinedly at the metal that would seal his fate.

"Quickly! Or Maki will be the blackened," Kokichi yelled hoarsely, the poison about to kill him.

He closed his eyes. He felt the machine hum back to life as it grew closer, it started to squeeze his chest. Kokichi screamed as he opened his eyes. Fear enclosed him. And then he felt nothing and saw nothing at all.

 


	2. Death | Blackened

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I decided to add extra parts to the killers!

3rd person's POV

Kaede regrets killing an innocent person as she protects anyone who isn't the murderer at the trial. She is the real murderer. She knows telling Shuichi to go against her is suicide. But she has to.

BREAK

"Yes. I killed Amami," she said, the words tasting sour in her mouth.

Tears were now streaming down her face after the trial was over. She remembers telling the others to let her accept her fate. When--

Kaito grinned and yelled, "Like hell I'm just gonna sit here and do what you say! Kaede fought with her life on the line! And so will I!"

 _'No. Stop,'_ Kaede thought.

"Gonta will face you all! Times like this are why Gonta became strong!" The Ultimate Entomologist shouted, "Gentlemen never back down, and neither will Gonta!"

 _'I don't deserve this! At this rate, there's a possibility the Exisals could hurt us!'_ the pianist continued.

Tenko got into a fighting stance, "Th-this is the perfect chance to test Neo-Aikido skills on machines!" Tenko said in realization.

 _'I have to do something,'_ Kaede thought, she licked her lips and took a deep breath.

"Y-yeah, I'll help. I can--"

"EVERYONE, STOP!" Kaede yelled, "Please. Just stop."

"But Kaede..." Shuichi said.

The blonde girl sighed and sadly smiled, "Enough, you guys... I've... already prepared myself."

Shuichi looked hesitant.

"You're... giving up? But why...?  You said... you'd never give up... That we'd get out of here together," Shuichi said, "That's what you said Kaede... So why are you giving up now?! Did you mean what you said?! I know we can do something! Don't give up until the end!"

Kaede gave him a small smile, "...I'm not giving up. Because I have you."

"What?" The detective asked her.

The words were hard to push out her mouth. Especially since tears started to spill faster out of the detective's eyes.

"Even after I'm gone... my wish will still be here. So I'm counting on you all! I'm entrusting my wish to every one of you! I believe in you! I believe that you all will make it through this, somehow!" Kaede exclaimed, the words clogging up her throat more and more, "You guys better to live! Don't go dying on me now! End this ridiculous killing game, survive, and get the hell out of this place!"

It was hard to say, but she had to. The final stretch. More tears erupted from her eyes.

"And then... be friends after you escape, okay? I think you all will be the best of friends," said the Ultimate Pianist.

"Affirmitive, Akamatsu," Kiibo responded.

Kirumi nodded and clasped her hands together, "I will do my utmost to fulfill your final request."

"I won't give up! I'll get out of here, no matter what!" Tenko said, sobbing.

"Gonta work hard and keep friends safe til very end!" The bug loving man said.

Kokichi looked at the blonde girl seriously, "Well, Akamatsu, you definitely weren't boring." Which was probably going to be the only compliment Kaede ever got from him.

Tears started to come out of Kaede's eyes harder than ever after hearing their responses. She wiped the tears away uselessly as they kept on coming.

"Now then... let's get started," Monokuma cackled, "I have a special punishment prepared for the Ultimate Pianist, Kaede Akamatsu!"

"W-Wait! Wait a second! Kaede, please, don't..." Shuichi said helplessly.

"Shuichi, you can't lose," Kaede said, "You can't lose to this killing game! I know you can beat it!"

Kaede glanced quickly behind her as Monokuma cackled, "Let's give it everything we've got! It's... PUNISHMENT TIME!"

 _'Now, the last words. Please guys. Just be... be the best of friends,'_ Kaede said, _'Okay?'_

"I believe in you guys! So please, believe in yourself!" Kaede shouted, "...okay? It's a promise."

Shuichi started to sob. Kaede just smiled, wiped her eyes, and watched as her execution started to begin. She got a jumpscare as a chain attached to her neck and tugged her up. She reached for Shuichi's hand as she was taken away. It hurt her neck as it pulled and pressed. Kaede choked on the rope tugging at her neck, her feet pressing on the piano keys. Horrible sounds came out as the air would stop coming to her lungs. Her eyes spun and her head hurt. She was dizzy, and she couldn't breathe. That was the moment she knew she would die. And she did.

Then, the piano lid closed over her, impaling her. Like a casket and that the Grim reaper's scythe had just cut her.

* * *

Kirumi was scared. Scared for her people. Shuichi had exposed her.

"That's right... I must survive," she said after speaking to her classmates, "Because... I carry the weight of an entire nation on my shoulders. I would not have killed Ryoma if I was so easily deterred. This request will not be fulfilled until I have brought joy to every citizen of this nation... So no matter what, I cannot die! That is why I killed Ryoma! Even now, I refuse to give up!"

The Ultimate Maid felt determined to survive. In order to serve the people of her nation.

 _'In order to serve... I must survive!'_ the grey haired woman thought.

"Tojo...?" Shuichi asked.

Angie looked at her with a dangerous stare and wagged her finger, "You still refuse to give up. So... what do you intend to do?"

Kirumi started to get frazzeled and angry.

"I intend to live..." she ranted with purpose, "I must survive... no matter what it takes... If I must debase myself, so be it! I would drink filth and eat carrion to survive! I will do anything—ANYTHING!—to survive!"

She screamed at Monokuma, then broke out into a sprint.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Kirumi couldn't take it. If she died, they died. She can't! She can't! Panic overtook her body as she desperately searched for the exit.

"I have to escape! I won't die here!" she screamed as she continued to run.

"Puhuhuhuhuhu! There's no way I'm letting you outta here!" Monokuma cackled.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Kirumi screamed again in complete outrage.

Shuichi called out to her, "R-run... Run! Run, Tojo!"

"Please ruuuuuuun!" Tenko added as tears streamed down her face.

"Run! Please hurry!" Kiibo shouted along with them.

Kaito clenched his fist and roared, "Hurry! Run!"

"Like I said... I'm not letting you leave!" Monokuma shouted.

Tsumugi shouted, "Please! Ruuuuuuuuuuuun!"

_'Thank you, everyone'_

She then howled in rage.

"I will live! I refuse to die in a hellhole like this!" she screamed.

"Now then, I've prepared a special punishment for Kirumi Tojo, the Ultimate Maid!"

_'I have to survive for my people!'_

"For my nation! For my people!"

"Let's give it everything we've got! It's... PUNISHMENT TIME!" Monokuma boomed.

Kirumi's face contorted of all sorts of emotions, "I WILL NOTE DIIIIIIIIIIIIE!!!!"

Even though she tried to run. Even though she attempted her escape. She was stuck. She ran as Monokuma chased after her. She ran into an elaborate hallway, and was cornered by two angry mobs. They held signs. Then, it was if God helped her, sending her an escape route. Or so she thought. It was a vine of thorns. With no other choice, she took it, the thorns stabbing into her palms. She kept gripping the thorns as signs were thrown at her back, the cardboard being just a nuisance as she was fueled by adrenaline. Blood trickled down the vine. As her palms felt unimaginable pain, it hurt more than any request she ever fulfilled. Kirumi stopped as she gaped at the razor blades at the top.

_'You can do this'_

Kirumi swallowed the spit in her mouth and moved forward. The razor cut all over the body of the Ultimate Maid as she bit her lip and tried not to scream. But to no avail, she did as she was shredded to pieces. Tears pricked at her eyes. Her clothes were torn as cuts littered her body. Her muscles screamed as sweat poured all over her and stung her cuts. She finally got past the razors as she weakly climbed to the top. Her eyes widened.

There it was. The exit. She was so happy, she didn't notice the vine fraying. She tried to reach the sun--

It was fake. The rope snapped. Kirumi screamed as she fell all the way back down, fear overtaking her. She rushed back down to her doom. The ground rushing closer and closer.

_'I couldn't help you. I'm so sorry'_

BAM!

She lay there dead as the paper fluttered down, it's blue crayon mixing with her blood. Hope was a funny thing. She gave up on it when she told Tsumugi not to.

* * *

The Ultimate Anthropologist watched as everyone was utterly disgusted in his actions.

 _'Don't mind them, Korekiyo. They just don't understand our love,'_ his sister whispered to him.

 _'Yes, sister. Our love is undeniable to the true hearts of the human. The way the human functions is interesting...'_ he answered to his beloved.

The way they talked was blocked out. Korekiyo didn't care. He had sister with him and that was all he needed. He fired back all the shots, threw them off track, and did whatever it took to protect his sister. Shuichi was being a real nuisance to him especially.

 _'What a pest...'_ Korekiyo thought, _'Sister, I'm going to lose if he keeps this on...!'_

 _'Hold on Korekiyo!'_ she told him, _'I can... I can...!'_

She revealed herself. Why? Why? That damned detective ruined everything for him. The long haired male kept his rage in, until it all failed. And he was voted. He was about to be executed.

_'I'll see you at the end, Korekiyo'_

_'Yes... I'm sorry'_

The moment they kept taunting him about his lover, he couldn't take it.

"Yes, the one I love lives inside me. My dearest Sister," Korekiyo said smugly.

Gonta made a weird noise, "S-sister?!"

"D-don't look at me! I... I'm not his sister!" Miu blurted out randomly.

Kokichi said as if it were obvious, "Well, duh. If you were his sister, he would've killed himself already."

Tsumugi looked confused, "Your sister? But... didn't you say she was your lover?"

"Kehehe... it is not that difficult. My sister is my lover," Korekiyo giggled softly with a burning passion, "I loved her so deeply... And she loved me so deeply... The fact that we were siblings... meant nothing to us. They called is 'Forbidden Love', but none could stop the love we shared. Ooh... how I long for my sister's warmth... The only time I felt at peace... was when I was enveloped in my sister's warmth! That is why... for my beloved sister... I had to--"

Kaito glared threateningly and clenched his fist, "Y-you had to escape from here, right?"

"No... I had to kill for her," Korekiyo said, shooting them a dark look.

"...What?" Shuichi asked, clearly perplexed.

"Sister was very sickly..." Korekiyo informed sadly, "She was always in and out of the hospital ever since she was a child. Because of that, she didn't have many friends. She always seemed so lonely... Even if I could be her little brother and her lover, I couldn't be her friend. So I thought I would find her some friends. Friends for my dear deceased sister."

Now, Shuichi was clearly confused, "Deceased...?"

Korekiyo looked at them all intently, "My sister is now a ghost, so her friends should be ghosts, too, right? For Sister's sake... I've killed many! To send her 100 friends! They were all wonderful people! Worthy of being Sister's friends!"

Gonta was still not getting it, "Wh-what?"

"This is too impossible too understand...! Too... impossible!" Kiibo exclaimed, clearly frazzled.

"Kehehe... Sister is very happy," Korekiyo murmured as her sweet voice echoes through his mind.

"Yes, Korekiyo... I am very happy. Thanks to you, I am not lonely," her sweet voice called out.

"C-could it be... that the lipstick version of Shingui is..." Tsumugi said in horror.

His older sister smiled at all of them, "I am Korekiyo's older sister. Thank you for looking after my little brother."

Kaito gasped and sputtered as he donned the look of shock, "Wh-What the hell?!"

Korekiyo continued dramatically, "After I lost my beloved sister, I was so distraught, I nearly went mad. But Sister came to save me. She visited me during one of my seances and stayed inside me... Kehehe... now I can see her whenever I want. I'm never lonely..."

"That's wonderful, Korekiyo," his sister said to him, "Your love made the impossible, possible."

"A-are you serious?! Is this... really a spirit?!" Kaito said, still looking traumatized.

"He's just delusional," Maki told Kaito.

That just made Korekiyo mad. Thank the heavens that his sister came to the rescue.

"Hmhmhm... What a sad girl who can't believe in the power of love..." Sister said.

Maki stayed silent and glared at him threateningly.

Miu just looked grossed out, "E-either way, he's totally out of his mind. I mean... he killed for a dead chick."

"You said you killed a lot already, right?" Kokichi asked with a finger over his mouth, "So it wasn't just the two you killed here?"

"Wh-what?" Himiko asked dangerously.

"Nishsishi... Seems like he was already crazy when before got here," Kokichi said, "You didn't want to escape from here—that wasn't your purpose from the get-go... you just wanted to slaughter a bunch, huh?!"

This was totally pissing the human-obsessed man off, "Do not make me out to be some bloodthirsty, indiscriminate killer. I only kill girls who I think are worthy of being Sister's friends."

"Only girls?" Shuichi asked, "I see... so when we were choosing on who should be the best medium... You said it would work best with a girl."

Korekiyo explained, "I spent my time evaluating all the girls here... And besides Harukawa and Iruma, they were all worthy! All are worthy of being Sister's friends!"

"All... worthy?" Himiko asked.

Miu looked pretty angry, "Hey, how come I'm not included?! I mean, not like I care!"

Himiko ignored her and continued, "Then... the second victim... could've been me? Tenko... died in place of me?"

Korekiyo spread his arms, "Yumeno would've been great, but Chabashira volunteering made me so happy... Her noble, earnest heart made her a perfect friend for Sister. She even infiltrated the student council to protect Yumeno."

"Huh? Infiltrate? Really?" Gonta inquired.

"But... how did you...?" Shuichi asked, still wary.

Korekiyo put his hands near his faced and chuckled, "Kehehe... It was obvious to me. I've studied many people. Yes! She stood up against the darkness of this school all by herself! All for her beloved friend! I was so touched by that! Wonderful! She was a perfect friend for Sister! Kehehe... I can't understand why you didn't like her, Yumeno."

Himiko glared at him silently.

"Though... I was planning on having you become Sister's friend, too... eventually," Korekiyo added.

Gonta shot him a murderous glare, "Wh-what? You do all that for--"

"Wooow, you did all that just to kill. For you to go that far... that's pretty impressive," Kokichi commented, "You were interested in The Caged Child, just so you could use it to kill someone, right?"

"It interested me as an anthropologist, of course. But more than that..." Korekiyo agreed, "I wanted to kill for Sister! Nothing cannot deny that overwhelming feeling!"

Kaito stared at him shakily as his face paled.

"Momota, are you okay? You look... kinda pale..." Shuichi told him.

"D-don't worry about it... Let's focus on Shingui right now," Kaito assured.

"Allow me to explain, though. I did not plan to kill both of them," Korekyo said, "I knew I would have plenty of chances after escaping this place. But Angie walked in one me preparing and I ended up killing her a different way. So I figured I might as well kill someone else, too. After all, it would be a shame to waste the seance trick I prepared."

Tsumugi blanched, "Y-you're talking like... you killed her just because you could..."

"No, not just because I could..." Korekiyo disagreed, "I was sending another friend to Sister."

"Korekiyo, you're such a thoughtful little brother. But it was bad to get greedy," Sister told him.

Korekiyo grimaced, "You're right... because of that, now I can't send 100 friends to Sister."

"Do you understand now? Those were the circumstances of Korekiyo's crime," his beloved explained.

Kiibo stammered, "I... I do not understand. This is all to impossible for me to understand."

"Th-that right... Killing two friends for your dead sister?!" Gonta asked as tears came out of his eyes, "That wrong! That so wrong!"

Korekiyo smirked, "Kehehe... Oh, don't get so worked up. There's something I learned after Sister's death... Death only changes a person's form. Their soul live on as ghost."

"That's right," his sister agreed, "Even thought I'm a ghost now, I am always by Korekiyo's side."

"Thank you Sister... I love you," the cap wearing male said.

"C-cut it out already!" Himiko cried, red in the face, "I don't understand anything you're saying. Nothing makes sense. It's not fair! Why did Angie and Tenko have to die for something so unfair?!"

"Because death is unfair," Monokuma interrupted.

"Nyeh?!"

"All deaths are unfair deaths," Monokuma continued, "Why do you think news stations get such high ratings when they're reporting about death? Because... everyone likes unfair deaths."

Kokichi put his hands together behind his head, "Well, if you look at it like that, this whole killing game embodies that philosophy, right? Gifted high school students forced to play a killing game... Man! If people were watching this, they would get a kick out of it!"

"Knock off that bullshit!" Miu screamed at him, "Only sick fucks would enjoy watching this!"

"Hell yeah!" Kokichi grinned, "If I wasn't in this killing game, I would have so much fun watching!"

Korekiyo murmured, "Kehehe... the nature of this killing game is yet still shrouded in mystery... But my role in it is over. I have finished my explanation to you, friends. I think I shall go see her now... my beloved sister... I was unable to send her 100 friends, but at least I am able to see her again."

His sister smiled brightly, "It's alright, sweet Korekiyo... Come to me."

"Looks like you're already prepared... Now then, let's get started," Monokuma said, "It's the moment you've all been waiting for--it's Punishment Time!"

"Punishment Time..." Shuichi repeated.

"My beloved sister... At long last... I'll finally get to see you again..." Korekiyo sang.

"Yes... from now on, no one will try to stop us," his sister added, "We can be together without hiding our love from others..."

Himiko interrupted, "W-wait! I can't accept this!"

"Like I said, there's no such thing as a death that can be accepted," Korekiyo said angrily as she was getting in the way, "Why do you think so many different cultures have funeral rites? Why do you think rumors of of ways to resurrect the dead never cease? The living must find a reason, however forced, to accept death when it happens. How you can come to terms with death also determines how you live, yes?

"Wh-what?" Himiko asked.

"That was the answer I reached. How about you? How will you live a life that faces death?" Korekiyo asked.

"I've prepared a very special punishment for the Ultimate Anthropologist, Korekiyo Shinguji!" Monokuma announced.

Korekiyo looked at them all, "I shall watch over you all as a ghost! As your friend, I will watch you!"

"It won't just be me and Korekiyo... all those who died will be watching," Sister agreed.

"Kehehe... I'll be watching to see how you face the death of your friends," Korekiyo finished, "I'll be watching... forever and ever..."

"Let's give it everything we've got! It's... PUNISHMENT TIME!"

Korekiyo hung there in the ninja house. He wasn't necessarily afraid of dying. He could see his dear, beloved sister. He just wanted to fulfill his promise of getting her a hundred friends. He stared at the wall ahead of him as the Mono-kubs spun him. The world was a literal blur. His head pounded as he couldn't think straight. It was as if he drank past his limit and woke up to a massive headache. After the spinning, he tried to readjust his brain-

Right as he was dropped into a hole. He watched his impending doom as he landed into a pot of water. The Mono-kubs below started to fan the fire. Heat reached his skin, the water bubbling as well. They kept fanning, the heat now searing his skin. The water scorching him. Too hot. The flames kept building up, taking him down into its boiling depths. The flames forming a wall.

_'Sister!'_

His spirit flew into the sky and emerged. Yes, he was naked, but went to embrace his sister... until he was evaporated. HE screamed as whatever she threw at him burned like wax. It melted him as she laughed. Her laugh. His spirit was gone.

* * *

Gonta tries to act determined. Yes, he now knows he truly killed Miu. He was tricked by Kokichi. He never felt so disappointed in himself ever in his life.

"I like to think... we make a pretty good team," Kokichi said as he explained.

Tsumugi turned on Kokichi, "Good?! What's good about that?! You're the worst!"

"...That's the whole story. That's... everything that happen," Gonta's Alter Ego admitted.

"So in the end... you don't plan to tell us the secret of the outside world..." Maki sighed.

Gonta's Alter Ego stayed silent, then apologized, "Sorry! Gonta no can tell you that!"

 _'Why? Why you no tell us?'_ Gonta thought, _'Why?'_

Kaito clenched his fist, "Well, I mean, after hearing that story, it sounds like you were tricked by Kokichi."

Gonta looked down in regret, "But... Gonta did kill Iruma... Gonta really did it... Sorry! Everyone... Gonta is so sorry!"

"G-gokuhara!" Shuichi grunted.

"But... Gonta's plan to save everyone fail..." Gonta Alter Ego said sadly, "Gonta not save everyone... Gonta just make everyone suffer more... Gonta... is stupid! So stupid! How can Gonta call himself gentlemen?!"

Tsumugi started to sob.

Kokichi turned to face the others with tears in his eyes, "Everyone... please forgive him. Gokuhara tried to save us all from despair by taking on the sin of killing us. But... you reached for the truth. And Gokuhara's plan failed. All of you could've been saved if you died without knowing anything..."

Slowly, Kokichi's words started to hit Shuichi straight in the gut. It pointed blame at him indirectly.

"So you're saying it was wrong to fight for the truth?!" Shuichi asked, surprised.

Kokichi turned to face him, "Yes, it was. At least, Gonta and I think so. You should've all died ignorant... Gokuhara killed Iruma for that sake, y'know?"

Kaito's face morphed into a glare, "Enough of your shit! You made him kill her!"

Gonta Alter Ego shouted, "No! Gonta is bad! Cuz Gonta kill someone! Gonta is murderer! It's true! Yes... Gonta made everyone suffer. That is true..."

Those words seemed to chip at Gonta's heart. He felt so broken.

"Sorry! Gonta is sorry he fail everyone..." Gonta said with tears running down his face, "Gonta is sorry for being stupid! Gonta is sorry he make everyone suffer! Gonta so sorry!"

"W-we get it... You don't need... to apologize anymore..." Tsumugi cried out.

Kokichi started to get emotional, "You're probably all thinking that I should've taken on the dirty work and not Gonta, right? Everyone... hates me... so the role of villain is perfect for me... Yeah, I know already! It should've been my responsibility!" Then, he started to explain, "But... when I realized Iruma was targeting me... I thought to myself... she must already have a way to prevent me from fighting back in the Virtual World."

Kiibo nodded, "And in fact, you were right. She set it up so she could paralyze you with just a touch."

"That's why I had to ask Gokuhara!" Kokichi screamed, "I would've done it myself if I could!"

"Okay but... You didn't need to push everything onto Gokuhara to--" Kaito started.

Gonta interrupted him in a fury of tears, "Stop! It's okay! Everyone, please... Don't blame Kokichi anymore... Please..."

Kokichi stared at him flabbergasted and said, "Gokuhara... you...!"

"H-how nice can you be, Gokuhara?" Tsumugi asked sadly, "You really are... stupid sometimes..."

Gonta nodded in shame as he agreed, "Y-you're right... someone as stupid as Gonta could never be a gentlemen..."

"Hey, so... are we done yet?" Monokuma interrupted impatiently.

"...What?" Shuichi asked in a small voice.

Monokuma grinned ever so slightly bigger, "You guys are starting to talk in circles, so let's just move on to the more exciting stuff. Yes! The eagerly anticipated Punishment Time!"

Gonta sighed, as his time was to come. And he knew well, even if memory didn't serve, he deserved it.

"Wait! If you're going to punish him, then please... punish me too," Kokichi cut in.

"Oma...?" Shuichi asked doubtfully.

Kokichi started to shriek at him, "I'm prepared for it! If you're gonna execute Gokuhara, then I--"

"It's okay, Oma. Please let Gonta sacrifice himself... for everyone's sake. Tha's all... Gonta can do anymore..." The Alter Ego Gonta interrupted sadly.

Gonta then spoke up, "Just promise Gonta... that everyone forgive each other and be friends. Okay?"

Kokichi stayed silent, and said, "...alright, I promise."

"Alright! It's time to punish the Ultimate Entomologist, Gonta Gokuhara--" Monokuma started.

"Oh, man..." Monotaro said getting queasy, "I bet his punishment's gonna have a lot of gross, nasty bugs."

Monophanie squealed.

"That's right! You don't like nasty stuff!" Monotaro said in recognition.

Monophanie started to panic, "N-no... it's not that... I-it's coming..."

"What?! Already?!" Monotaro cried.

"The contractions... are speeding up... A-any minute now..."

Monotaro stuck out his hand--er, paw, "Quick, hold my hand!"

"I've prepared a special punishment for him!" Monokuma said, from where he left off.

Kokichi grunted, "W-wait, please! I don't want this! Don't go, Gokuhara!"

"Don't cry, Oma... Gokuhara... is okay..." Gonta said.

"Yeah... Gonta not cry... Gonta's... really not scared..." Gonta said in new-found bravery. B-but...! Gonta upset! Gonta upset... he could no protect everyone!"

Kokichi started to get more panicked, "Gokuhara, you...! You... can't cry either!"

"Well then, let's give it everything we've got! It's... PUNISHMENT TIIIME!" Monokuma shouted out to all.

"Gonta... love you all!" the bug lover cried out.

"Gonta is so sorry... for being stupid!" his avatar added.

_'Still it's my fault'_

He stares ahead as he is bound tightly to a wooden pole with a laptop. Monokuma steps forward and fires off a gun. A metal wasp comes out. It stings him. More and more. The pain being inflicted everywhere. He internally screamed, the wounds forming stings. He became all red and puffy. He persevered. He sweat as the stings hurt all over, like needles digging into his skin. The last one, emerged from a Mono-kub. It flew forward.

'This is it'

It extended a razor leg and stabbed the laptop and him. The pain that went through his body. He coughed out blood. It felt as if he was going to die. The pain flared and hurt more than falling off a cliff. The blood poured as Monokuma blasted fire. The heat scorched him. The way it seared into his skin. He couldn't even scream anymore.

* * *

Kaito stands there as he feels ashamed that he killed Kokichi and that the plan didn't work out. Kokichi died for no reason. Kaito actually believed Kokichi this time. Instead, it was Kaito who let everyone down. Suddenly, a burning sensation seared through his chest. He hacked.

"Momota?!" Shuichi cried out.

Maki started coming towards him, "K-kaito!"

"Momota, are you okay?!" Tsumugi asked him, worried.

He grinned uneasily and said, "Heh... h-how can I be okay? I'm... about to die..."

Monokuma cackled, "You sure are, bucko! Cuz it's punishment time!"

Kaito's heart sank as Shuichi looked so devastated.

"Punishment?!" Shuichi asked.

Maki stared at Monokuma dangerously and spoke, "... I won't let you... I won't let you kill Kaito!"

"Oh? You planning to get in my way? You know what'll happen if you do that, don't you?" Monokuma asked, unfazed.

Maki countered back, "I don't care what happens! I planned to kill you anyway from the start.

Kiibo also pointed at the robotic bear, "Y-yes... I've been determined to fight back for a while now..."

"N-no... stop..." Kaito wheezed as the pain burned away.

Shuichi whirled around to him, "No, Momota, I can't! I can't let you die, Momota! I don't care if you're sick! I don't care if you're dying! I won't let Monokuma touch you!"

Monokuma stayed silent, then started creepily laughing his "Puhuhuhuhu's"

"Wh-what's so funny... ?" Tsumugi asked.

Monokuma answered her nonchalantly saying, "Oh I was just thinking about life... and how irreplaceable it is. Know what I mean?"

"What...?" Shuichi asked.

"When a life ends, those closest to it mourn. But if you could somehow recycle that life..." Monokuma said, "Then those closest to it wouldn't need to mourn anymore, right? If we could recycle life, the world would be filled of hope. That's my hope."

"What are you talking--" Shuichi started.

Monokuma's eye flashed, "Alright kids! Time for your grand re-entrance!"

Suddenly, Kaito's jaw dropped as all the Monokubs popped out. He completely blanked over the next few moments of the conversation, when he heard:

"So what?"

Kaito looked at Maki.

"It doesn't matter... I won't let you kill Kaito. I'll... fight until the end..." Maki said.

Kaito started wiping his blood, "S-stop... even if you fight the Exisals, you'll just get killed, dammit! The remote control and the last Electrobomb were crushed in the press."

Maki's voiced turned emotional, "No, I won't give up."

Kaito started to yell, "Maki Roll! Enough alrea--"

"I've never felt this way before!" Maki interrupted, "I've always fought to kill, but... this is the first time I've fought to protect someone!"

Kaito was confused, "Huh?"

"And I've never... been given a name like 'Maki Roll' before, either," Maki continued.

"You..." the Ultimate Astronaut continued as his knees felt weak and his back felt ever so heavy.

The assassin just kept on rolling, "And I've never... met someone as stubborn as you before... and I've never... fallen for someone before."

The red-eyed girl was now crying, not looking into the larger male's eyes.

"Maki Roll!" Kaito said as he struggled to stand.

"Maki..." Shuichi said.

The girl ignored them and started mumbling, "I... don't want this to end. I just... don't... That's why I won't let you kill Kaito! I absolutely won't let you!"

Kaito stayed silent, the disease eating him away as he apologized, "Maki Roll... I'm sorry... but that's not an option. I don't have as much time left as you think... I'm fighting... just to stay standing."

Maki sobbed, "B-But, I..."

"Hey, Maki Roll. I asked you before. What's your enemy?" Kaito asked as his body suddenly really heavy, "Before... you hated yourself so much. You didn't even like yourself a little... And wasn't that the reason you tried to distance yourself from others? You decided that you didn't deserve to have friends, didn't you? That was your enemy. But not anymore, huh? You're alright now! You fell for a guy like me! Now you can learn to like yourself!" He smiled weakly.

Maki stayed silent, cried, and said, "Ugh... uuuugh..."

"Hey, hey... don't cry. Can't you send me off with one last smile?" Kaito asked, grinning weakly as he felt like he was on fire, "You guys, too. I'm not gonna allow any tears. Send me off with a bang."

Shuichi looked reluctant, but agreed, "Alright... Momota. I... won't cry."

"M-me too!" Himiko sniffled, "I'm gonna hold it in!"

Tsumugi did her best, "Yeah! I'll endure it!"

Kiibo looked on emotionally, "I can't cry. Even if I wanted to..."

"Hey, sorry about the wait, Monokuma," Kaito said as he was ready, "You can go ahead and start now."

"Can do!" the bear replied.

Monotaro said excitedly, "Oh boy! My first Punishment Time! I've never seen one before!"

"But let me say this to the true mastermind controlling Monokuma..." Kaito shouted hoarsely with a fire in his eyes, "You better get ready! My friends aren't gonna lose to you!"

Monokuma stayed silent as Kaito said, "That's all. I'll leave the rest to you guys! End this ridiculous killing game!"

"We'll end it. So, please... don't worry," Kiibo said as he trembled.

Kaito turned his dying body weakly, "And Saihara... Never forget, you're not alone. You have friends. Don't try to do everything by yourself, okay?"

 Shuichi nodded, "...Yeah, Momota. Okay."

"Don't forget!" Kaito shouted, putting in one last strong word, "The impossible is possible! All you gotta do is make it so!"

"Yeah! Thanks, Momota!" Shuichi responded.

Maki stared at him with tears. Kaito smiled ever so weakly at her.

"Maki Roll... how long are you gonna cry? You should smil--" Kaito started.

"I-I can't... That's impossible... I can't..." Maki said bitterly.

"Haha... of course... My bad for making you cry like that..." the bearded man said.

Maki just sobbed.

"Alright then! Let's end this with a bang!" Kaito shouted, "A special punishment, suited to the Luminary of the Stars!"

Monokuma giggled with excitement, "You don't gotta tell me! I'm excited to get this started!"

"Oh yeah?" Kaito asked, one last sure of energy, pain, and courage surging through him, "Well screw you! I'm not gonna die the way you want!"

"It's... PUNISHMENT TIME!"

Kaito sits there as the disco shines over him. He doesn't care. He focuses on his disease. Monokuma sits across from him in an astronaut suit. A rocket appears behind him as it encloses over him. Kaito sweats as the disease is eating his lungs away, making it harder to breathe. He coughed, his lungs aching and wheezing. He wiped sweat of his brow. He coughed again, tempted to let blood out. His stomach churned. He felt the rocket turn upside down and go through the ground. The rocks tumbled by the ship, rocking it back and forth. Which wasn't really helping his concentration.

_'I'm almost gonna be dead... I won't be able to fulfill my dream--'_

There it was. The stars and the planets. His dream as the Ultimate Astronaut had been fulfilled. Kaito gazed out into the vast starry sky.

_'F-fuck you Monokuma'_

He coughed out blood as it splattered on the window. He fell over with a smile on his face.

_'Maki Roll...'_

The execution had failed.

* * *

Kiibo knew, that wasn't their choice. It was his. He was his own person. He had his own will. But he still felt it after abstaining. All five people abstained.

It was over.

Kiibo blasts through the roof.

_'Let me commence the plan'_

He started to blast everything in sight. He is not afraid. In fact, he is happy that his friends will keep living on; even knowing that he won't join them, he will still die peacefully. He keeps an eye on a certain area. Kiibo made rubble fall, and the ground shake. The loud noises rumble the entire space within the cage. He saw Tsumugi and Monokuma get squished. He made rocks fall everywhere else. He smiled as one area looked unharmed. Kiibo flashed a closed eye smile as he finally sealed his fate.

_'Good bye, my friends'_

He pressed a button. His eyes glowed as he blasted straight through the dome. Glass shatters, bouncing off his metal armor. He disappears. Forever. All that's left behind is a hole in the cage, with a source of light that shines blue. A hole to something else.

* * *

Tsumugi felt despair. Well, fictional despair. Still. She's never gonna get a raise after this.

_'I can fix it. I can fix it'_

Tsumugi doesn't care if she dies. She knows it's all fake. She waves, dressed as Junko, her blue contacts tracing Kiibo as he blasts all the stone, making it fall. She switches back to her ordinary clothes. She continues to wave as she stands to the now present Monokuma. There's a feeling that Tsumugi felt that she never expected to come up. Was this fear?

_'This is... fear. Fear'_

Tsumugi can't help but feel ecstatic that she felt for once in this game. She had been confident that everything would go swell. But nope. Everything just immediately went downhill. But still, when things go downhill, there's a big snowball effect that affects a lot of people.

But at the moment, Tsumugi was very frightened. Still, she kept on her straight face.

_'It's all fiction It's all fiction It's all fiction It's all fiction It's all fiction It's all fiction It's all fiction It's all fiction It's all fiction'_

She can't help it, but she's scared. She'll be crushed just like the original Junko Enoshima. Maybe that should be something to look forward to. Her mask doesn't slip as a boulder comes falling, crushing her and Monokuma. Her blood splattering.

_'It's just a simulation'_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... at the end, I got tired of the typing and decided to publish it. Sorry! Okay. I'll try to publish faster and better! Try...


	3. Awakening | Victims

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah. The murdered have woken up. What do they think now after experiencing death?

3rd person's POV

Rantaro wakes up to see a white ceiling. His clothes look like he's in a hospital. Great. He probably was dead. The white light burns into his eye.

"Sit up"

He sat up.

The man chuckled.

"This is the second time I've seen you," the voice said.

_'Who... am I...?'_

He flinched as he felt a pounding pain in his head. It hurt. Everything did. Pain. Why? His consciousness and knowledge were eluding him. What was it he couldn't remember? It was... it was... Rantaro blinked again, looking in front of him. He needs to focus on the thing in front of him. He's in a pod with a man with a doctor's coat in front of him. Rantaro inhaled sharply and rubbed his head as barely any pieces of memories come flooding back to him. Tch. Hard to think. Not only that, he was a bit thinner than that of normal.

_'What...? What's happening? Where am I? Who...?'  
_

"Don't worry. It'll take some time to adjust. Follow me," the man said.

"I don't know you!" Rantaro screamed, scrambling away.

The man looked uncomfortable, "Now now--"

"Who are you?! Where are we going?!" Rantaro asked.

"Why... to the **therapist** of course," the man huffed.

* * *

Ryoma thought death was relaxing. He would've actually enjoyed it more if he hadn't drowned. He would've preferred a knock on the head. He was at peace. He felt that he could finally rest.

_'Murderers don't really go to heaven...'_

Something didn't feel right. Death feels like nothing. Comforting, but nothing. Ryoma felt something. He felt a cushion pressing against his back. His intsincts kept telling him that he was trapped. His hands felt something smooth. His eyes fluttered open. He saw darkness.

"Is this death?" he asked himself.

The darkness disappeared as a glaring light nearly blinded him.

"Oh. You're awake too!" a peppy voice exclaimed.

_'Seriously, I must be dead. If not, kill me now. Again'_

A blonde woman with gleaming blue eyes, but he felt too cold to focus. He felt strangely tired. A feeling from deep within.

_'I'm done with this. With life'_

He just stared at the girl who kept smiling at him, oblivious.

"Yes?" he asked, clearly confused.

"This way!" the woman cheered, dragging him away on his sore feet.

He was too tired for this. He felt weak. Ryoma felt so fucking pathetic.

"Huh?" he asked.

"We need to check on your **mental state**!" she answered.

* * *

Angie thought she was going to Atua.

Back to her creator. That's what she thought.

_'Atua, Atua, Atua... please forgive whoever killed me. I don't care,' Angie thought, 'Do I forgive people too much? I just kept forgiving and not caring that... that I got myself killed. I haven't even carried out Atua's will.'_

Why does she even care about humanity anymore? She forgives them. She gives love. She gets killed.

Why?

It just wasn't fair.

Angie just wanted to cry. She almost did when a searing light burned her eyes. Her eyeballs almost bulged out of their sockets. She felt so tired. Thin. Lanky.

"Agh!" she cried.

"Come this way," a haughty voice called to her.

Angie sat up, her back aching, and her head hurting. Her voice was sore. She looked different. Why? Who was she really?

"Who are you?" Angie asked, "Atua... wait... aren't I dead?"

"Ugh, just don't ask any questions. Come this way!" she said.

_'Atua... please help me not to become like this girl,'_ Angie thought, _'Wait... Atua?'_

"Am I dead?" Angie asked, observing the thing she sat in.

Her head pounded as she scanned her surroundings.

"Ugh, you really do need to see **professional help** ," the doctor said.

* * *

Tenko couldn't believe it. She was dead. It was all over. She wouldn't see Himiko, or anybody she wanted to see ever again.

_'Was it a male degenerate?'_

She had let her guard down for a second. Because she wanted to please Himiko. And she had went and gotten herself killed. When was it?

_'Ah. When I was in the cage'_

That meant... if Himiko were in the cage, Himiko would be the one to have gotten killed. One part of Tenko was glad that Himiko didn't die.

_'Thank goodness it wasn't her'_

That part of Tenko also was more enraged at males. Seething with fury.

Then... the other part of Tenko conflicted with her other thoughts.

_**'Yumeno should've been the one dead'** _

_'No! I'm glad that she's still alive. I feel for her. All I wanted to do was protected her,'_ her feelings welled up, _'I loved her.'_

_**'What has Yumeno done to us? All she did was push us away. All she did was hang out with Yonaga. All she did was say that we were annoying. She didn't give two shits about us!'** _

The thought made Tenko jolt. Tenko felt... felt disgusted. She didn't know what she was disgusted in.

A light shone through. Well, artificial light. Tenko groaned as she sat up, her back ached and all her muscles screamed. She rubbed her head as she observed the bed she sat in. More like a pod.

"Are you okay, miss?" a woman asked in a monotone voice.

"Y-yes?" Tenko asked.

"You just came back. We need to see if you are okay. Follow me please," the woman said.

"Uh..." Tenko said, "Am I dead?"

"We're going to get you a **check-up** ," the woman said.

* * *

Miu was dead. Dead and she knew it.

_'I don't want to die!'_ she thought.

It was her biggest fear. The thought of dying terrified her. The whole reason she was like that... was so she didn't die. She felt like choking.

_'Focus. Focus on breathing--oh wait. I'm dead'_

Anxiety and fear just shot straight up in her mind. Miu wanted to cry out. She wanted to scream. Breathe. Breathe. She started to mentally break down. She was dead. What was all her work for?

_'All that for nothing. My work all down the drain! A waste!'_

She wanted to cry. She felt warm water on her face.

_'Impossible. I'm dead. Great. Now I'm hallucinating'_

All she wanted to do was to live. She was dumb enough to try and kill Kokichi. Miu now was dead. Cold and dead. And she didn't want to be.

It was repetitive and predictable was her fear. Just like her personality. Pathetic.

_'I'm pathetic'_ Miu thought.

Rap rap

Miu's blue eyes flew open. It was... a lid.

_'Huh?'_

She shook. Was she dead? The lid opened and light shone through. A man stood over her with glasses. The light flashed over them. Miu shook. She didn't speak. She really couldn't, and felt like she wasn't supposed to. Her throat felt so dry and hoarse. It hurt so badly.

The man sighed, "I'm here to get you to the check up room. Get up. You need water too."

Miu sat up. She was confused. Sore. Just done.

"Come on. We need to get your informed and checked on," the man sighed pushing up his glasses.

_'Ow! My legs! They hurt...'_

"Hurry up. The **doctor** won't wait forever," the man groaned.

* * *

He carried regrets. Some sins that could never be cleaned. Some wounds that would never heal. And lies that were never solved or broken. He created a mask. A wall nobody could penetrate. Kokichi was the wild card. Unique and special. A trickster. A liar. His very existence... was a lie.

_'I'm just a liar. Nothing more,'_ he thought.

He should've told them the truth. Kokichi should've expressed his true feelings. His real nature underneath the disguise of lies that he, himself, created.

And he regrets it. And Kokichi can't do anything about it.

Lies. He was filling to the brim with it.

_'I'm sorry I lied. I don't trust any of you'_

The truth is, and the real truth, is that Kokichi is afraid. He is afraid of trusting other people with his secrets. He hates it when he's not the one in control. He wants to be the chess player. And to do that, you do what they always do. Manipulate the chess board. He was lying to himself. Kokichi doesn't know who he truly knows anymore.

What a lie.

What a mishap.

What a mistake.

Yeah. Kokichi agreed. He was a big, fat, lying, mistake. He was an abomination. Trying to hide his true self. He kept too much of a distance. Now he can't go back.

_'I regret. I have mistakes. The worst pain is... is not being able to fix them. I'm sorry...'_

He was such a boring existence. That smiling, crying, lying charade he put up.

"Wake up! OI! Wake up!"

His purple eyes shot open, the light almost making him die.

"Ore ore? Who are you?" Kokichi asked, giggling, even though his throat was hoarse.

_'Why the fuck am I alive? Is this heaven? Hell?'_

"OI! SHUT UP! You really do need to get checked," the man grumbled, obviously having a ferocious temper.

"Eh?" Kokichi asked, tilting his head.

The man started to drag Kokichi in his white hospital gown. His legs almost gave out. He started to cry out. It was so sore. He was just... so exhausted. Through with all the crap.

"To the **doctor's office**!" the man yelled.

_'What?'_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo. Sorry if this was bad, I have a writer's block and am venting it out of future projects. Yes. Sorry. So, I had to pull parts out of my ass so it wouldn't be complete shit. Ugh, stress, you know? Fuck, it gets you.
> 
> As we keep going, things will get more intense. I seriously need that Monday off.  
> Oh, and kudos to Korekiyo's voice actor because when I was writing last chapter, I got shivers writing all that stuff down. *Claps*


	4. Awaken | Blackened

3rd person's POV

Kaede's eyes filled to the brim as she choked and died.

_'And now I'm dead'_

She couldn't help anybody. She felt useless. She felt like nothing. Like trash. Filthy, useless, good for nothing, piece of crap. She felt exactly like that. She felt like crying. How she let them all down. How she couldn't save them. Something always made herself feel off about herself. Like she was this despicable thing. Kaede was so confused.

Why did she feel spiteful. As if she hated humanity itself. And she didn't know why. It was as if she was a lie. Like she wasn't real.

_**'Humanity... it's truly... ugly'** _

Disgusting. And Kaede didn't know why she felt that way. Was there a reason? Was it because she killed Rantaro? Or was it something else. A string of confusion was stitching itself within her. She was just... confused. She felt different.

"Hey. Wake up"

"Ugh..." Kaede groaned.

"Hey"

_'Give me a second, geez. Does nobody have patience nowadays?'_

Her eyes shot open. A man smiled above her.

"Hello! You're finally awake!" he said.

_'A pervert? Murderer? Wait... how the hell am I alive?'_

"Who are you?" Kaede asked her voice dry and her neck sore as she remembered something, "Ugh!"

"Ah. Your memories are returning. Come on. We'll help you," the man said, smiling.

Kaede looked at the man bewildered. What in the actual hell did he mean? It made no sense.

Having no choice, the blonde said, "Fine. Lead the way."

Kaede awkwardly got up and followed him as they walked somewhere. The blonde noticed how body was slightly worn out and her head pounded. She froze in place as she passed someone in the halls. He was looking at some papers as a doctor of some sort led the green haired male away.

It couldn't be. Rantaro was supposed to be dead.

* * *

Kirumi felt despair. The moment she saw the vine snap. Despair... it was a... fascinating feeling. The feeling worse than fear. Death. The opposite of hope. She fell right into it. It was extraordinary. She, Kirumi Tojo, a smart, resourceful, strong woman, was probably the first of her class to fall into despair.

She would've giggled if she could. This is what it must've felt like. Her being shuddered. She imagined laughing. She felt like humanity was dead. This is what Junko Enoshima felt. How despairing. No hope in sight.

_'I should've just killed them all before they found the bodies...! That would've let me out of that place.'_

Despair started to merge with Kirumi's very being. She giggled.

_'If they all died, I could've saved them all'_

She pictured in her mind as pink blood splattered everywhere as they all wailed for mercy. They'd be on their knees, but she wouldn't spare them.

Not. A. Single. One.

_'Killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill--'_

Light leaked through the dark space she lay in.

"Tojo-san. Are you okay?"

As the pod opened, Kirumi's eyes shot open. She had despair in them. All she felt was pain.

_'I'm dead I'm dead I'm dead I'm dead--'_

"Come on. Don't worry, you're alive'

"????????"

The person who looked down at her didn't reply as they yanked her up and dragged her tired self. Kirumi just giggled. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a familiar figure in a wheelchair.

_'No... that's not possible...!'_

But it looked exactly like him. It couldn't be alive. The nurse just wheeled Ryoma doppelganger along, but Kirumi was positive it was the Ultimate Tennis Player.

Ryoma should be dead, though.

* * *

Korekiyo lingers on Earth. It's confusing. He was reuniting with his sister, when she sprayed salt at him. Making him dissipate and disappear. He felt hurt. Why would she do this to him? Hell, he didn't even know where he was now. And it was because of her. Why? They deeply love each other. Korekiyo, just wished that they could've embraced each other one last time.

_'All my sacrifices for you... all the murderers... all the stealing, everything... was it all a lie? Oh... interesting. This is what heartbreak is. Humanity is interesting.'_

This is betrayal. The stinging hurt of pain that sinks into you. Korekiyo gives it to people. But this is the first time he's felt it. And from his fucking sister no less.

"FUCK!" he screamed.

Yeah, he was pissed. And know that the Anthropologist thinks about it, was he always like this? Hot temper? It was confusing. Humanity was confusing. Feelings were confusing. And shit. Yeah... Yeah.

_'I want to hit something. Sister.... SISTER-- WAIT. Sister betrayed us. What about my love? FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK!"_

Yeah. The Ultimate Anthropologist kinda sounded weird.

Suddenly, light leaked into his eyes. But his skin hurt more than ever at the moment.

"FuUck," he hissed, "Hello hell."

"Oops! SORRY!" a girl cried.

"I'm okay..." Korekiyo breathed, "I'm alive."

"Y-yes. U-um, this way please," the girl directed.

"Sure," Korekiyo said.

He started to march his feet. While falling over several times due to exhaustion. He happened to pass a girl in the hall. She eyed him strangely. But seriously, he's never fucking seen her before.

"What?" he muttered.

"'What?'" she mocked.

"Little piece of--" he started.

"Back off," another voice said.

Korekiyo whipped around, his hair following suit.

"Tenko? Seriously, what the fu--"

That's when he was yanked away as he glanced at the look-alike Tenko. Tenko's dead. And so is Angie.

* * *

Gonta was disappointed in himself. So he gladly accepted his fate.

'Gonta is happy Gonta died'

Happy, happy, happy. It was his own fault that Miu died, so he might as well pay the price. Even if Kokichi did manage to trick him.

'Gonta's fault or Kokichi's?' he thought, 'No, it's my fault and I will stand by it.'

Gonta was just really let down by himself.

He squinted as something reflected off his glasses.

"H-hello?" he asked.

"Bro, you might be scared af, but don't worry. Everything was low key fake," a male voice said.

"Fake? What?" Gonta asked, "I'm dead."

Dead.

_Dead._

The word seemed unreal to him. But the tired feeling that settled into his bones felt _very_ real.

"I-I..." Gonta said.

He looked down at his hands as if they were dirty. Suddenly, he felt pain weighing his body, but he ignored it.

He trembled and said, "I k-killed Iruma..."

"Dude, follow me," the guy said, "It'll be all fine."

Gonta followed him. As they entered a room, a girl in a hoodie shrunk away and whimpered. Her figure trembled and shook. Blonde hair peaked out of it, unruly and wild. A therapist led her away. Gonta glanced at the trembling figure, wondering what startled the poor girl.

"Hey, don't look at her. She's not good with attention," the man leading him to an unknown place said.

Gonta started to wave his weak hands, "S-sorry!"

'Looks like Miu... but she's dead. Wait... isn't the killing game fake like he said? What?'

* * *

Kaito choked in space. Well that was great. But... he died of his disease. Not bad. He wasn't reall unhappy, he just wanted to see...

'Maki Roll,' he thought.

He thought he was delusional.

What was love?

'Saihara... Maki Roll... Yumeno... Kiibo... Shirogane... I don't know which one of you is the mastermind, but...'

Kaito's chest bruned.

'I loved you all'

Kaito stayed quiet and thought: 'Is this love?'

'Is this what that maniac Korekiyo felt? But with his sister.... bleh.'

You could almost hear children saying "EWWWWWW". Yeah, he said that in his head too.

"SHIIIIT!" he cried when white light made him make a face.

He heard a scream.

"What is up with your face?!"

'I might've been dropped as a baby, buuuuuuuut, whatchu talkin' 'bout?'

The girl shrieked and started to run. His legs were weak, but he shot after her. He could run miles in school, so he would be fine. He tackled her.

"Get off--!" she started.

"Meiko, seriously?!" a guy asked.

"S-sorry!" she cried.

"You're just like Mikan when she was here!" the guy shouted.

"Hey, chill out man," the shorter boy behind the shouting boy said.

Kaito peaked out behind the loud guy.

"Kokichi?!?!?!"

* * *

Kiibo knows he's dead. Exploded. He literally sacrificed himself for his comrades.

'Because I'm not human'

He could just mess him self up, and get fixed again. But a human couldn't. He could blast lasers and destroy strong defenses. But a human couldn't. He could have emotions... just like a human. But there was one thing, he didn't have the heart or soul of a human. Kiibo was just a pathetic fake.

He sobbed. Or well, he made noise. A robot can't produce tears. How disappointing.

"Why couldn't I be human?" he asked.

Miu was probably the only one who saw him as a human, deep inside. And she had died. And Kokichi had always reminded Kiibo that he wasn't human. A copy. One that couldn't compare up to mankind, "Robot's don't have--" uh, whatever word he said. He didn't have feelings, he couldn't eat; he didn't get hurt, Kiibo would just malfunction.

His senses felt dull, but more alive. Light poured through the confined space he was in.

'What am I feeling?' he thought as he bounced his head on something.

His hands twitched weakly and traveled across the object he was laying on. His eyes were more observant. The way he couldn't see through the darkness, but how it felt extraordinary. His ears heard muffled noises, and it sounded strange. Strangely good. The way the small space was dwindling his breathing--

Wait. Breathing?

The pod opened as his eyes assessed the light. The way his eyes didn't automatically dim how his eyes receive the light. He touched his face. His fingers felt thin. His delicate and thin fingers felt skin. He exhaled.

"I-I'm alive. N-no. I'm dead?" his dry, crackling voice croaked, "Th-this is what my voice sounds like?"

"Don't worry young man. It's going to take some time for you to readjust," a voice reassured.

Kiibo looked at the woman who was smiling kindly at him. He got out of the pod.

'This is... pain!'

"Hah... it hurts!" Kiibo yelled as he ran in a circle.

"Wow. Are you a masochist? I might have to sign you up for a psychiatrist too," the lady said.

* * *

Tsumugi burst out of her pod.

"Welcome back world!" she cried, already used the the pod's draining effects.

She bounced out, ignoring the ignorant eye roll of the person assigned to take care of her pod. She saw Kiibo in the same room as he stopped running and stared at her. She ignored him and ran out of the room. Tsumugi's feet burned, but she ran down the familiar halls.

"Boss!" she cried, kicking the door into his office.

"Tsumugi," he said, "We have a big problem."

"Having you as a traitor working for our company, breaking the fourth wall... you're not getting a raise," she said.

"Sorry..." she said.

She bowed and fell over.

"Can I have some food?" she asked weakly.

"No"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Didya miss me? Just kidding. Welp, here's your chapter! Sorry. Had a writer's block. But I have to push myself.


	5. Awaken | Survivors

3rd person's POV

Shuichi ducked under the rocks as blasts were heard. Himiko whimpered. Suddenly, light leaked through his eyelids. Shuichi coughed the dust out of his lungs.

"Is everyone alright?" he coughed.

"Help!" Himiko called.

Shuichi pulled her out.

"How are we alive?" Maki asked.

"I think... Kiibo saved us," Shuichi said.

"But why?" Maki asked.

"I think the world spared us," Himiko said.

"No, the world changed," Shuichi said, "We changed it."

~~~

_'And so the story lives on, and the story lives on--'_

The trio started to make there way through the demolished school. They got to the roof. Then they stepped through the portal. Reality seemed to disappear, and Shuichi was now alone.

"Guys? Guys!" he called out, "Maki? Himiko?"

"Congratulations, survivor!"

He spun around to see a light approaching.

"Survivor?" he asked.

"Escaping the Academy!"

_'Huh?!'_

Shuichi opened his eyes to see a pair of blue ones staring back.

"Welcome back! You survived!" the girl cheered.

"Th-thank you?" he rasped, "Water--"

"Yeah, just follow me first!" the girl cried.

Shuichi's back ached as he groaned and got up.

_'Everything hurts...'_

"Where are we?" he asked.

"The simulation room," the girl said, starting to walk away.

He trailed after her in his long white shirt and underwear. A girl was waiting out in the hallway with a bulky man.

"Maki?" he asked.

The brunette turned around, her red eyes meeting his. She also wore a long white shirt reaching to her knees.

"Shuichi," she said.

"Nyeh, where are we going?" a voice behind Shuichi asked.

Shuichi turned.

"Himiko!" he said.

"Shuichi? Maki Where are we?" Himiko asked.

* * *

Maki saw nothing but darkness. While Shuichi and Himiko were ducking for cover, she listened. Once all the shooting noise stopped, an explosion followed. Wind rustled. Everything was quiet. Still. Maki grunted and pushed the rock off.

"Is everyone alright?" Shuichi coughed.

"Help!" Himiko called.

Shuichi pulled her out.

"How are we alive?" Maki asked.

"I think... Kiibo saved us," Shuichi said.

"But why?" Maki asked.

"I think the world spared us," Himiko said.

"No, the world changed," Shuichi said, "We changed it."

~~~

The trio started to make there way through the demolished school. They got to the roof. 

_'Let's do this'_ Maki thought.

She stepped through first. When her red eyes flew open, she saw nothing but darkness. She flinched and whirled around. Light was getting closer and closer.

"Congratulations, survivor!"

_'Survivor? Survivor of the killing game?'_

Light seeped through her closed eyes as the bright source of light got closer. When she opened them, something above her was opening slowly. As a man with a clipboard stood above her, she reacted. Despite her tired muscles, two of her fingers went for his eyes. He caught her hand.

"Whoa there," he said, "Now I understand why they made _me_ release you."

"Who are you?" she asked.

Her throat was dry.

"Don't worry. We'll give you food and water," the man reassured as he started walking.

Maki reluctantly followed suit. She would play along and see what would happen. They exited the room full of weird beds, white items, and machines. They waited outside the door.

"Maki?"

Maki turned around and saw a golden stare meeting her own bloody red.

"Shuichi," she said.

"Nyeh, where are we going?" a voice behind Shuichi piped up.

Shuichi turned around.

"Himiko!" he said.

"Shuichi? Maki? Where are we?" Himiko asked.

* * *

Himiko was scared. She shivered in fear at all the noise. Her mana shield wouldn't hold up. Her luck stats were probably really low. Shuichi was whispering reassuring words to her. The world exploded. The earth shook. Himiko whimpered. Light appeared, and Himiko relaxed.

"Is everyone alright?" Shuichi coughed.

"Help!" Himiko called.

Shuichi pulled her out.

"How are we alive?" Maki asked.

"I think... Kiibo saved us," Shuichi said.

"But why?" Maki asked.

"I think the world spared us," Himiko said.

"No, the world changed," Shuichi said, "We changed it."

~~~

The trio started to make there way through the demolished school. They got to the roof. 

Himiko took a shaky breath as she followed Shuichi into the portal. Then, she was alone. Across the black landscape where she could finally see when she cast a light spell.

_'Nyeh. This is too much work'_

"Congratulations, survivor"

She whirled around, her light spell was speaking. Himiko was just that talented.

When more light came in, she thought she just went overboard with her spell.

"Heya," a drab voice said.

"Nyeh, where am I?" Himiko asked.

"Meh. Don't know," the girl responded, "Please follow me."

"But that takes too much work. And I'm tired..." Himiko protested.

"Fine, but some people are waiting for you," the girl said.

"Fine..."

Himiko got up, all grouchy because of how tired she felt. When she trudged out the door, she saw familiar hair.

"Nyeh, where are we going?" she groaned.

Shuichi turned around.

"Himiko!" he said.

"Shuichi? Maki? Where are we?" Himiko asked.

* * *

"What is going on?" Maki asked, her eyes flashing.

"Hold on," the bulky man said, "Let us explain a few things. Let's get some food and water first."

The trio of professionals led the "students" to a cafeteria. They got sandwiches.

"Eat slowly. You might throw up," the girl with the bored voice said.

Shuichi already screwed up by choking. The other woman came back with water. Maki finished her sandwich and drank her water slowly. Himiko just ate.

"Do you have more food?" Maki asked playing with her hair, a habit she picked up.

Himiko just put her head on the table as Shuichi just ate, slowly this time.

"Yes," the man said, "first you eat something light, then you eat more heavy things."

As Shuichi and Himiko finished their sandwiches, they were given cake slices.

"What are these for?" Shuichi asked.

"Congrats on being Danganronpa survivors," the bored woman said.

"Wait... so it was fake?" Himiko asked.

"Yes! All of it! You might sustain a bit of physical and mental damage, buuuuut, I think you guys'll be fine!" the lady who had assisted Shuichi said.

"So what exactly?" Maki asked.

"Everything was fake. You personalities, actions, and talents. Virtual. From a simulation"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if it's short. Thanks for reading. :)


	6. Recovery | Victims

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Watch the slow struggle in an attempt to recover. Reality hits hard in the face. Reality is the thing keeping you away from true happiness. You try to wake up, but you can't. Because you're not dreaming, it's real. Reality is a monster, and it's real.

3rd person's POV

Rantaro lay there. His therapist said if her lay down and thought hard, his memories from his real life would come back. Due to his death in the game, he had amnesia. Great. He could vaguely remember details from the killing game he won. The one where he was a survivor. He winced. Brain damage wasn't good. Not like any of them had gotten their memories back. It would slowly start to come back.

Maybe. He wasn't sure. And he wasn't.

Creak

The doctor came into the room.

"Anything?" she asked.

"No," he answered, "...I think," he said, "Wait..."

_'I hate amnesia. I can't... I can't remember anything'_

"Who... who are you?" Rantaro asked, confused.

"I'm your doctor," the woman said.

"No, no... I don't know you--!" Rantaro shouted.

"Amami-san!" the doctor exclaimed.

"Who are you?! Get out! Are... are you going to kill me?" Rantaro asked, his eyes going wide.

"Somebody!"

"Are you going to kill me too?!" Rantaro shouted.

_'Too? What am I even thinking anymore?!'_

Doctors rushed in to restrain him as his fear level shot up.

"Get away from me! I don't know you!" he yelled.

Even though he had met them thirty minutes ago.

* * *

Ryoma also got hit in the back of the head, but not enough to kill him. He wasn't as fast as he was before, nor swift. He just felt tired.

"According to previous medical records, you were diagnosed with an illness, Myasthenia Gravis. It causes you to get fatigue very easily."

If Ryoma thought back, all he could remember was nothing. Nothing.

"This is a wheel chair for you to get around," his therapist said.

"Thanks," Ryoma grunted, shifting his rear onto the wheel chair seat.

He sighed.

"Okay. Let's practice getting over your fear of water. You will die if you don't drink any," the therapist said.

"For once, I'll stick to juice," Ryoma said.

The therapist started to speak their thing. Ryoma nodded and responded to their questions.

"Picture it as juice," the therapist said.

"But it's not," Ryoma said.

"You're going to have to try harder," the therapist said.

When he did, he passed out. Thinking was so much work. What was the point?

_'Nothing'_

That was Ryoma's theory and he would stick to it: too much work is going to kill you.

* * *

Angie sat there, constantly touching her neck. It had a slight sting whenever you touched it. And her head hurt. She couldn't think straight. And whenever she had her back turned, she was scared. Angie would feel something lurking behind her. It scared her. At night, she couldn't sleep. She requested to have the lights on, and no candles. The last thing she wanted and she died trying to get it. And it was for everyone else's sake. She was trying to revive them! Was it even real? She was just a drab girl--

She screamed. She grabbed the nearest things she could throw. A book, a lamp, a potted plant--

"Geez girl, you got muscles!"

Angie stopped and turned around.

"Oh! Sorry!" she yelped, realizing it was the doctor.

"No, no! It's okay! Some people get the jitters!" the therapist reassured.

Angie knelt in front of her.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry--!" she apologized as if it felt right.

Yeah. It was right.

"I-it's okay!" the therapist assured.

"Do you want me to do something?!" Angie screeched.

"Yonaga-san," the therapist said.

She stopped. She got up and bowed.

"Sorry," Angie whispered.

"It's okay! I can't blame you," the doctor said, "You just got out of a simulation... Yonaga..."

Angie tilted her head, "What it it?"

"It... says here in my documents, your real name is Kahoru Miyamoto," the therapist said.

Angie blinked her dark blue eyes. She started to play with her beautiful, light colored, brown-blonde hair.

"... it is?" she asked.

* * *

Tenko couldn't sleep. She heard Angie was also going through the same phase. The darkness just felt suffocating. The blankets that would drape over her felt like a clothed cage. Tenko was terrified. She would try to sing herself to sleep, but then would find herself singing the Caged Child. Then, she would turn on a nightlight, to vision it as a candle. She would request to sleep with any girl. Apparently that girl phase was a habit that she had, according to a doctor.

She now sipped her coffee. She started to gain eye bags, and the circles under her eyes just deepened. Her now tan skin was getting awfully pale. Pale, she doubted that she could ever find a make up product that white. Pale, so pale that you could see all the--

"Hello!" the woman said.

"H-hi..." Tenko said.

"You're... Tenko Chabashira?" she asked.

"Yes," Tenko answered.

"How are you feeling?" the therapist asked.

Tenko sat there, _'I feel terrible. The last thing I felt was a blade through my throat. I didn't get to profess my love for the person who didn't love me back. I died as a failure and still am. I couldn't protect her...'_

"Terrible," she answers.

The doctor wrote down some notes.

"How so?" the therapist pressed on.

"I don't know... everything just feels messed up..." Tenko said.

"What do you mean?"

Tenko sighed as she ran her hand through her messy, undone hair. Exhaustion weighed down on her body.

"It doesn't feel real... I feel awful," Tenko stated as she traced the bruises on her arm.

* * *

Miu was locked up in her room.

_'It's just a dream. Just a dream, just a dream...'_

The way that she saw their faces as she slowly started to die, the burning pain as air couldn't enter her lungs. The way... she never wanted to die. The way one died was horrifying. And bam, welcome back to reality. Miu just... just wanted to go to sleep without all these dreams. The dreams that scared her. She stared at the breathing pipe attached to her mouth. The way whenever she thought about breathing, then how she'd forget how to instinctively breathe. Then, she would choke and hyperventilate. The way her neck felt like it burned. The pain Miu felt being all alone again, the thought of being betrayed, and the act of how she was killed. The worst thing she hated.

Miu just wanted to knock herself out. She just wanted all the hurt to just.. go away like one of those dandelions when you blow them. Reality was just a hard rock that fell on you, but in virtual, it still hurt. It's not like she could scream anyway, with the shape her throat was in. Miu... just wanted all of her suffering to go away, not appear like her brand new anxiety. Now she felt so empty. Empty, but filling to the brim with fear, anxiety, hurt, pain, and suffering. As she tried to soothe herself to sleep, she tried to relax her hands that closed around her neck.

_'All these scars never really do go away, huh'_ she thought miserably.

"You okay?" the therapist asked as she opened the door.

Miu gave her a weak thumbs up.

She just wanted to make this all stop... but she didn't want to die... She just wanted to cry, cry herself to sleep like she always used to do. Miu just pretended there was no toilet paper around her neck, instead it was replaced by long strands of white wrap.

* * *

_'Falling...'_

Kokichi felt like he was falling. Drowning. Dying. Like the life was being sucked out of him. He felt really weak.

_'My hair is ugly as usual'_

His purple hair now dulled. His eyes now dark and glassy. Circles also bordered his dead eyes on his cold, pale skin.

_'I'm really ugly, a waste of space'_

He stared at the mirror and began touching his reflection. The pale, faint white scars that were on his cheek. The same matching ones marred all over the rest of his body.

"Oma-san. What are you doing?" his therapist asked.

"I'm checking out how handsome I ammmm!" he grinned, keeping that smiling face.

"Amazing how you adapted to that personality," the therapist commented absentmindedly.

"Mm!" Kokichi hummed as he looked at the scratch on his neck.

_'That's not true. I still hide my true face...'_

The therapist left the room. Kokichi shriveled up into a ball.

_'I really am a pathetic piece of trash'_

He gazed at the ceiling. He began to touch his face like some crazy maniac.

_'Nobody really cares about someone like me. Someone as useless as me, entangled in my own lies'_

Kokichi sat up and looked at his fingers.

_'That's why I'm going to change who I am. Forever'_

He imagined shoving his weak self over.

' **Good bye** , old Me'

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey again. Life is a pain. Enjoy this chapter. Am waiting for this writer block to pass up, oof.


	7. Recovery | Blackened

3rd person's POV

Kaede sat there, facing her therapist.

_'It's so hard to smile,'_ she thought.

She had been getting pessimistic thoughts recently. End the world, or herself. What exactly was going on with her. Not only that she was only barely able to speak, and her body had bruises all over it from being impaled from the simulation. Just a physical damage result from it. The reason behind this was because of how the science worked. The full dive experience included a physical and mental feeling. The body was actually hooked up to the simulation. As a result, the human form on the outside was also affected.

_**'What a failure of an experiment'** _

"How are you doing?" the therapist asked.

"Great!" she answered.

_**'You're lying'** _

"I have... some files saying you've had therapy treatment before," the therapist said.

_**'You know that you don't like it here'** _

Kaede pinched her hand. She bit her lip to keep herself from wincing.

_'Why am I thinking these thoughts?'_

"I... think I have..." Kaede answered.

"You also have a twin sister," she said.

"Oh... I actually do?" she asked.

"I think one of the spikes impaled your head..." the therapist said, "Oh, and we still have to give you back your memories..."

"I have a twin sister?" Kaede asked again in disbelief.

_'I really did this whole time? Was that not fake? What is she actually like? What does she look like--?'_

"Yes... but when you first got here, you didn't talk that positively about her," the therapist answered.

This made the blonde perk up. She had hated her sister? Was that even the word?

Kaede opened her mouth and gaped, "Ah..."

_'Who is my sister?'_

"Let's get some cream for your bruises"

"Okay"

The more she tried to remember, the more depressed she felt. The more Kaede could feel something creeping up on her. Soft laughs, to deranged cackles. She could see the small, cheerful smile of a face, that transformed into a crazy, maniacal grin that had this sort of nightmarish touch to it. Something that perturbed her. Very much. She wanted to know who exactly her sister was, and what her memories were full of.

* * *

Kirumi giggled. She wiped the drool off of her mouth. She still really couldn't believe everything was fake. After all the despair she just felt. Was despair fiction? Were her feelings fiction? Was this scripted. She didn't even know.

To her, despair felt fantastic.

Knock knock

"YeS?" she asked.

"How are you faring, Miss Tojo?" the therapist asked.

"Despairful," she answered, if that was even a word.

"Uh... yes. You don't really have to do that anymore. Despair isn't real--"

"Is it? Are my thoughts fake? Am I?" Kirumi asked, hugging herself.

_'Despairdespairdespairdespairdespairdespairdespairdespairdespairdespairdespairdespairdespairdespairdespairdespair'_

"... Ma'am?" she asked.

"Despair..." she muttered.

"Keep doing this, we'll have to take you away..." the therapist said, his voice small, "...to an asylum. Area 193, can we get more professional help?"

Was this what it always felt like? Everything was slowly, slowly but steadily returning to her. The memories. Everything had been so normal, to be turned all the way upside down. Everything felt so despairful. How she clawed the sheets. Her breathing becoming faster. Sweat pouring down her skin.

"We're going to try to keep you here as long as we can," the therapist said, "We can't afford to lose our jobs."

_'Pathetic,'_ a part of Kirumi's head thought.

Maybe the world was filled with despair. Already overflowing to the rim with it. Everything was already terrible. The world was filled with flaws. Nothing is really perfect. One had to know that. Everything held hope and despair. Even if it didn't exist, it was always there with people ever since the beginning. How despairing it felt as she felt her brain was being eaten away. How nice and hopeless it felt as her sanity was stripped to strands of nothingness. Oh the despair she felt when they began to restrain her. The nothingness that filled her overloaded brain. How despair-filled it felt when they injected her to sleep.

The lights on the ceiling shined even brighter than before.

* * *

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!" Korekiyo screamed as he flipped over a table.

"See? I told you that you had nice vocals!" his therapist exclaimed.

"And what does this help me in?" Korekiyo asked.

"You don't remember? You're really popular out there in the media!" the therapist exclaimed.

"I guess I have good vocals after being boiled alive and screaming my fucking lungs out, but, I don't really remember anything," Korekiyo said sarcastically.

The male with the long hair started to scratch the back of his neck. That's when he touched his back and remembered discovering yesterday that he had tattoos on the back of it. From his memory, he never got tattooed onto his back or anything.

_'And what is with the tattoos on my back?_ ' he thought, _'they're covering up something. I want to know what it is.'_

"That's right! We also have to treat your burns!" he exclaimed.

"Who the hell sets modifications that affects the user?" Korekiyo grumbled.

He sat as the therapist smeared the cooling paste on his back. He sighed as the cold touch felt refreshing.

"Ahhhhahhhhhhah..." Korekiyo sighed.

The therapist sweatdropped.

"That's some nice tattoos," the therapist commented.

"Yeah... I don't know why I even got them," Korekiyo said, "It's slowly coming back to me."

He poked the burn.

"FUCK! Why the hell am I cursing so much?" Korekiyo asked.

"It's part of your profession," the therapist answered, "it's the flair that you have for your job."

"Wait, what?" Korekiyo asked, hissing.

"Your new track came out!"

_'What the hell?'_

* * *

Gonta sat there in the hospital bed with major injuries. He had a dream. Gonta dreamt that he failed. They all died. Deaths and executions a bloody massacre he never wanted to see. That is what happened. Gonta had failed. How miserable. He should've taken things into his own hands. He should have never listened to Kokichi. No, everything was his fault. He couldn't see, he couldn't feel, and he couldn't move.

He felt so pathetic, useless, and worthless.

"Are you okay?" a person asked.

"Gonta no okay," he said in that tongue he always spoke in.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Gonta... Gonta hurts all over. Gonta wants it to stop..." he sobbed.

Tears began to stream down his face from his blurry eyes. He buried his face in his hands as he began to sob uncontrollably. The nurse hesitantly began to tell him that "It's okay" and "Everything's going to be all right". But Gonta knew better. It wasn't. Everything was just going to go downhill from there. The boy with the unruly green hair continued to cry.

"Gokuhara-san?! Are you all right?!" the voice asked.

"The stings... make Gonta hurt! Gonta want to protect friends!" he cried.

"Somebody help! Help!"

"Gonta is ashamed!" he yelled, struggling in his bandages, "Gonta is a bad boy!"

His voice started to crack under all the sadness and remorse he felt. The shame he carried because he was such a stupid fool.

"HELP!"

The sound of running feet was heard, all coming to his room. Gonta lay there, as helpless as he was. His sobs filled the empty room with him alone in it.

"Gonta SORRY!"

His sorrows overwhelmed him.

_'I'm a failure'_

That's when somebody gets the feeling about their emotions. That their emotions were too much, overwhelming. And in his case, too kind.

* * *

Kaito sighed. He coughed. His lungs wheezed.

"Are you okay?" his therapist asked.

"Yeah," Kaito coughed.

"Have you been smoking?" the therapist asked.

"Not that I remember..." Kaito said.

"It could be hallucinations from the stimulation...." the therapist muttered.

Kaito pounded his chest.

_'It hurts... dammit it hurts so fucking much! Go the hell away! I-I just gotta believe. Believe that it will go away... if it doesn't, I swear I'll beat the absolute crap out of my lungs!'_ he thought to himself.

"The simulation does have side effects on the body," the therapist informed.

"Wait... I still can't take it in. It was all fake? Scripted?" Kaito asked.

"Yes. You yourselves signed up for this. You all had personal goals and thoughts on how this would benefit you in some way," the therapist answered.

"What *cough* was my reason? *hack*!" Kaito asked while choking.

"I have no idea, actually. Maybe it was what you did in high school. I suspect you hung around the wrong people," the therapist said.

_'The wrong people...?'_

Kaito coughed again.

_'I don't remember anything'_

"It's just a little thing. I'm sure that it will go away soon," the therapist reassured.

"When will I get my memories back? When will I see everybody else?" Kaito asked.

"Soon, Momota-san. Though, some memories will return on their own," the man answered, "The company also has to transfer back your own memories."

Kaito stared at the ground, _'How do you even take away someone's memories?'_

The ex-Ultimate Astronaut drank water to soothe the burning pain in his throat. What had he been in his past life? What was he really like--?

"FUCK!" Kaito screamed as he choked.

He smashed the glass on the ground, grabbed a nearby book, and smashed his head repeatedly to stop all the pain and stress.

* * *

Kiibo was close to crying. He was real. Alive.

"I'm... I'm real. Everything feels so alive," Kiibo said, mesmerized.

"Hello...?" the therapist asked.

"Sorry! I just feel very strange in my stomach!" Kiibo apologized.

"What do you mean?" the therapist asked.

"It hurts, but I feel the need to do something," Kiibo answered.

"You mean... eat?" the therapist asked.

"Yes! Wait a minute, I can't eat. My systems won't let me!" Kiibo protested.

"Um...."

Kiibo pondered what the woman was thinking about and tilted his head. Perhaps she needed assistance in remembering what she was about to say! That was it!

"Yes?" Kiibo asked.

"You're human," the therapist said.

"Oh right! I forgot!" Kiibo exclaimed.

_'I need to keep in mind that I am human. My name is Kiibo, Ibadashi. I. Am. Human. I. Am. Human. I. Am. Human?'_

"You might have to adjust to your original life style--" the therapist started.

"KIIBO!"

A blunette with glasses stuck her head into the room.

"Shirogane," Kiibo regarded coldly.

"Now don't be so cold! We're co-workers, after all!" Tsumugi said.

Kiibo shrugged his arms and looked up.

"What do you want?" he asked cautiously.

She dragged him out of the room.

"H-hey!" he shouted.

"We need to discuss some matters!" she declared.

* * *

Tsumugi grinned. The ratings had shot up the roof. As usual. But she had not planned for the fourth wall to be broken. Her ranking and job were being threatened. She couldn't keep this up. Her grin disappeared. Her position was already one of the highest ones. Kiibo was also in a high position. Tsumugi drank some coffee. She needed to think. What way was she supposed to back up her mistakes.

"Ah~ . How am I to start the next season?" she asked herself.

The bespectacled girl walked to her office cubicle and surfed online for ideas.

"Shirogane. She needs you"

Tsumugi walked towards the boss's office.

"Shirogane!"

"Hai. What is it?" she asked.

"What are our next plans for the next season?!" her boss asked.

Tsumugi shrugged, "Sorry. I don't know! Maybe we can think something out."

"Grab Kiibo in [insert random room here]. I'm sure you two can hatch up an idea," her boss said.

The bluenette nodded and walked out to the hallway and closed the door. She leaned on her legs and prepared for a running start.

_'Here I go...'_ she thought, _'I'm going to have to think of a new idea!'_

She grinned. Tsumugi, already trained against the stimulation side effects, raced and kicked open Kiibo's recovery room.

"KIIBO!" she shouted.

"Shirogane," Kiibo responded in a somewhat cold demeanor.

"Now don't be so cold!" We are co-workers after all!" Tsumugi said.

She walked inside and started to drag Kiibo out of the room.

"H-hey!" he protested.

"We need to discuss some matters!" she informed.

Kiibo struggled against her already trained body, and his physically weak one. He was helpless against Tsumugi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey again. Did some quick writing and editing. Bam. Here you have it. Thank goodness that the week is almost over. I'mma just relax now.
> 
> Having a writer's block for future chapters, and I can't wait to get past that part and finish it.


	8. Recovery | Survivors

3rd person's POV

Shuichi marveled the little figurines that he found in a bag. The bag was hidden in a corner of the room. It was full of figurines, posters, key chains, anything that was related to Danganronpa. Most of them were full of a girl with purple hair. He had to constantly wipe the drool coming at the corner of his mouth. His mind was going all over the place, a mile a minute, and it was pounding to explode. Information was leaking into his head, word by word. The place in between his legs was tingling with pleasure and excitement. He wasn't alone now. In a way, he felt oh so very whole.

Whole.

_Family._

**_Love._ **

"Kirigiri Kyoko, Chiyo Ikeda, Mie Takagi, Hisao Arai, Tadaaki Ohno, Yanis Wada, Umeko Goto, Moe Sasaki, Hiroe Kondo, Hiroshi Kondo, Noritaka Ishida, Kaguya Ueno, Asami Sugimoto, Mavis Franks, Isao Ueno, and Wakako Imai," he muttered, the words pouring out of his mouth as if it was so natural.

And Kirigiri. It sounded mesmerizing. Made his insides tingle.

Made _himself_ tingle.

It was like a ritual. It was like he repeated it everyday. He would say body weights, heights, eye color, hair color, every personal thing from likes, dislikes, secrets, and backstories. The names felt really familiar. He knew it when he thought of Danganronpa. They were from that show. But he couldn't remember where--

"Did you memorize all the detectives?" the therapist asked.

"Those are the detectives?" Shuichi asked, bewildered by this fact.

He never knew. How much did he used to love this show? It was terrifying. It made him sick in the stomach. Did he used to have this obsession? Why? How? He felt so disgusted. In himself. The way he used to think. What was it like? How complex was his previous thinking?

That was gross for him to think about.

"Ulp!" he wheezed.

He had thrown up onto the ground. The foul stench slowly seeped into the room as the therapist rushed to get a paper towel. Shuichi knelt on the ground and started to sob. It was all couldn't be true. The truth was so disgusting. The same truth he had been trying to expose back in Danganronpa.

Gross...

* * *

Maki lay there on the bed trying to process all the information the doctor had just told her. It couldn't be true. She was real. Her feelings were real. Her feelings for Kaito... were scripted? That.... that couldn't be.

_'When I think of Kaito... my chest has a fluttery feeling, making it feel light. It's not like any shoujo anime where I'm obsessed with him or anything like a yandere... I just like being around him. I even feel it now. Nothing can change that. They can't just.... just... say that it was all fake!'_

At the thought, she turned red.

Maki's chest fluttered and ached at the same time. It felt very conflicted. Everything just felt wrong. Liking Kaito felt wrong to her... but why? It's not like love was wrong, but that something wasn't right.

"Every single thing there was fake. So you shouldn't be feeling any growing emotions for any people," the therapist said, "especially when those feelings shouldn't even be real. I suspect that you slowly grew feelings for him within your mind."

"My... mind?" Maki asked, "That's not possible. I was most likely unconscious."

"Argue whatever you want, but based on your past records, it's most likely that you grew feelings for him within the simulation, which also affected your mindset," the therapist responded with utmost certainty.

"So it wasn't scripted?" Maki asked.

"No, you just got attached to feelings that shouldn't even exist," the therapist informed.

Maki suddenly grew angry, a flow of anger sparking, the need of it to flow out and let it all out. But, kept it in. She didn't know why. Maybe because she was trying not to act like herself when she was in... the simulation and all that. She would say whatever she wanted to say in Danganronpa, but now she couldn't. It was like choking. She couldn't speak. Something wrapping around Maki's neck, choking her and preventing her from saying anything. She engulfed it, keeping it in.

Red. It felt muddy in her throat.

"You're wrong. It's real. I can feel it," Maki said defiantly.

"Hm, it could be possibly true, but I might have to speak to Kiibo or Tsumugi--" the therapist stated.

STOMP!

Maki had stepped on the ground, her temper finally exploded. The dam broke, her feelings leaking. The woman scrambled back as she clutched her clipboard in fear.

Red. Overflowing. Out of her mouth.

"Tsumugi...." Maki said darkly.

"Miss?" the therapist asked.

"Sorry. Just snapped," Maki said, then smile-cringed.

Her head felt like it was going to explode.

In red. That muddy red.

* * *

Himiko inhaled all the sweet scents of the shampoo. They smelled sweet. They smelled good. Unique. Strange. She should've been using in the first place anyway. Why was she so fascinated? There were just so many questions to ask, and answers to reply. The doctor had to. She demanded it.

She would get what she wanted.

_'It's not like it's my fault. It's not. People are just born... unfortunate.'_

"Hello!"

A woman appeared at the door.

"Who are you?" Himiko asked.

"Ah! I'm the therapist! I'm here to take care of you!" the woman explained.

"Stop being so cheery..." Himiko mumbled.

"Oh! Sorry, it's just that, the producers thought it would be better to have a cheery atmosphere around you!" the therapist apologized.

Himiko tilted her head backwards.

"Can I just go home? I need to see my family," Himiko said with slight urgency in her voice.

"Not now. We're not so sure if you are stable," the therapist said, with a nervous smile on her face.

Himiko plastered a fake smile on her face.

"Sorry. I really need to get home," she said.

"Your condition--"

"Just let me go! I want to go home!" Himiko screamed, all red in the face, "You must think that I can't get out. I have magic for that."

"Uh..."

Himiko stormed out.

"Nyeh. I'm too lazy for this," Himiko muttered angrily.

"Hey! Come back!" the therapist shouted.

"No can do," Himiko said, "I have to go home."

"W-wait! They won't let you leave!" the therapist shouted.

Himiko kept on fast walking. She had no idea where she was going, but she had a decent grasp. She passed by doors with windows. She kept walking, until she reached a part of the building that looked completely different.

"What is this?" Himiko asked aloud.

"This is the production part of the studio," the therapist said, suddenly behind her, "We just left the recovery section of the building."

"Nyeh. Just leave me alone..." Himiko muttered, dismissing her with a wave.

* * *

Few months later...

The 53rd season of Danganronpa was officially over. Fans raved over new characters, plot and executions. Thank goodness they didn't know it was a mistake in the coding of the simulation process.

"Boss, overall, their health is getting better," Tsumugi said over the phone.

She set it down with a clack.

Kiibo felt sick at looking at future execution and killing techniques on his computer file as he covered his mouth in horror, and also preventing himself from puking onto the ground. Tsumugi called in for someone to take him out of her room.

"Maybe it's time to show them their own TV show," Tsumugi added as she started to giggle in her hospital bed.

_'Maybe I really did need to recover...'_ she added in her head as she started to fall asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I didn't update for a looong time. I had work and stuff so, yeah. Here you go! Welp, the recovery part is over, so it's time for their reactions to the show.
> 
> Stuff's getting stressful lately, so don't expect another update next week. Sorry!


	9. Watching | Victims

"Amami-san"

"Yes?" Rantaro answered.

"Team Danganronpa requests you watch the new season," the therapist said.

B U Z Z

"Wait... who's that?" Rantaro asked, "Shit..."

"Team Danganronpa," the therapist said.

Rantaro didn't like this. Whenever he didn't remember something, the therapist would just repeat what they had just said.

It was plain annoying. He usually pretended to remember. But every single time he tried to remember something, a "buzz" noise usually interrupted his thinking.

"Oh yeah," he said.

B L O O P

Rantaro sat there. He just could not believe what was happening. Kaede had murdered him? But she wanted to help everyone escape. It was just so strange. Why? But that wasn't possible. He had seen Tsumugi. Why was--?

Oh.

Oh.

Tsumugi was the mastermind. Kaede had done her operation perfectly and made the mastermind act on her own will. Except, the mastermind pulled some strings, and the game kept going. It wasn't fair. Kaede should've been alive. Rantaro pulled his hair, a different side than his normal demeanor.

"Why?" he asked as he looked at the screen.

Her death was brutal as well. So painful.

"Akamatsu... I'm so sorry," Rantaro apologized sadly.

B U Z Z

"What are we doing again?"

The woman, the one who he didn't know gave him small parts. The rest to be picked up like he was a learning baby. How annoying. If she could pick up some of the pieces, why not pick up the rest herself?

B L O O P

"Oh... I remember now," Rantaro said as the memory slowly leaked back to him.

Rantaro watched as Shuichi was inspired by her, and so moved and took the role of protagonist.

"That's a change in the series," Rantaro said.

He watched the rest of the trials.

"Tojo? Tojo did that?" he asked, "She is smart though..."

_'AH! Don't forget!'_

The game started to frazzle him even more when Korekiyo was an incest lover who killed girls.

"Thank fuck that Ouma fell on that floorboard," Rantaro muttered.

B U Z Z

"Wait, what was I saying again?"

...

B L O O P

He watched as Miu died, and Gonta was the killer. Kokichi was manipulating the Ultimate Entomologist.

"Iruma was smart and all... but why did Ouma--?" Rantaro murmured.

B U Z Z

"Owoahaha?" he said in a blabber of words, "What the fu--?"

...

B L O O P

As the next episode played, Rantaro watched as the confusing chapter played out.

"Just what are Ouma and Momota playing at?" Rantaro asked as Kaito died.

Rantaro had so many questions. Danganronpa just kept throwing in interesting plot. Then, the last trial.

_'So I was right. Shirogane was the mastermind. I think at this point, the whole production is going to have trouble making some plot'_

Rantaro sighed.

_'At least Akamatsu and I were avenged,'_ Rantaro thought.

He glanced at his door.

B U Z Z

_'What was I doing again?'_

* * *

Ryoma sighed as he lay on the bed.

"I don't want to watch. I'm too tired," he said.

"But--"

"I said--"

"I'll just go talk to Tsumugi!" the therapist squeaked.

Ryoma sighed and sunk his head deeper into his pillow. He seriously didn't want to do anything, especially something that somebody else wanted him to do. He had just been informed, (by threatening the therapist) that Tsumugi was the mastermind. Well damn her to hell, he couldn't really give a shit about her. Ryoma just... wanted to get the fuck out of the building. He was too tired to express it, but Ryoma was angry. Furious at Tsumugi and the whole production.

"Hello!"

The door had opened to show a blue haired girl, her hair tied into a bun. Her eyes had circles underneath them, and she had glasses.

_'Shirogane'_ Ryoma thought.

"Ryoma!" she exclaimed, "How are you doing?!"

The shorter male just let a slew of incoherent words flood out of his mouth, inaudible.

"Now don't be like that!" Tsumugi said, "At least watch the 53rd season!"

"No thank you," Ryoma said.

"Please please please please please please please please please please please please please--"

"That's annoying. You're wasting my time and energy," Ryoma said.

Tsumugi sat there, determined.

"Get out and I will watch it," he said.

"Yay!" Tsumugi yelled as she walked out.

She fell over, got up, and closed the door.

_'Deserved it'_ Ryoma thought.

He started to watch. It showed Kaede and Shuichi as the main characters.

"Are they trying to ship them, or something?" Ryoma asked himself.

He saw as the first trial started, Kaede and Rantaro died.

"Now I wanna see this," Ryoma said, as he started watching Chapter 2.

He saw the trial start. As they kept talking, his eyes started to get heavier. As he watched Maki starting to go under pressure of being the killer, he drifted off.

...

He jolted. Kirumi was screaming. As his vision adjusted, she was running for her life. She sounded feral, this raw rage burning with the heat of perseverance. She started to run. Oh. OH. Monokuma was using her frustration and courage to end her. Ryoma closed his eyes and waited after he heard a snap. He opened his eyes. Wrong moment. Kirumi was falling. The desperation on her face was apparent. He watched as she fell. One of the Mono-kubs also got crushed by her falling body. Music played as a crayon drawn trap landed on Kirumi's corpse and got soaked in the blood.

_'I can't do this. No'_

But Ryoma watched the next trial. Extremely content with Korekiyo's execution, mystified by the fourth chapter, and furious at the fifth. By the fifth chapter, he fell asleep. When he woke, he realized:

_'Is this what Danganronpa fans feel like watching this show?'_

* * *

Angie felt... dirty. Actually, her real name was Kahoru. She felt that her attitude, her looks, and her entire demeanor was different from what she was in reality. She cringed at the style of clothing she wore in the show. A coat and a bra? Everything was exposed. Angie could feel her stomach turn over and she gagged. It felt disgusting.

"I believe in Atua!"

Atua. That's some bullshit that she shat out during the show. What were the producers even thinking?

_'It's kind of my fault anyway. Wanting a different personality entirely... or that's what they said. But what am I so unhappy about?'_

Kahoru/Angie sat on her bed, eating popcorn, and watching the TV. It felt weird. But she didn't know the cause to that. Maybe she forgot to wash her hands?

Ew.

No, that couldn't be it. The bottom of her stomach just churned with discomfort and uneasiness as her hands prickled. But still, her eyes were entranced by the lights on the screen. Fascinating, oh how the show tricks and fools her at each and every turn. She can't predict anything.

"Can we stop? It feels weird," Kahoru/Angie asked as she reached the ending of Chapter 2.

"Shirogane wants you to see this because it's a product of what you all did," the therapist said, "Remember you bringing a calculus book we held on to. Do you want it?"

"Yeah... sure," Angie said.

_'I don't even remember bringing one over'_

The therapist shot her a bewildered look and left. Kahoru/Angie watched as Chapter 3 commenced. She winced as she saw her dead body. She didn't recall setting up a ritual. All Kahoru/Angie remembered was getting a candle. No. It was Angie who got the candle. Angie believed it was possible to resurrect the dead. How stupid. That's not how it worked. Kahoru started reading her textbook. She read and watched the show both at the same time. Multi-tasking. It was easy for her for some reason. Even though the words she read felt knew, she had a feeling she had seen those types math problems.

_'Shinguji... why did you do it?'_ Kahoru/Angie thought as she bit on her nail.

For the first time in her life, she didn't know. The diligent girl watched as Miu died. She intently watched as she was intrigued by the trial.

_'Fascinating. Iruma-san made such a delicate program...'_ she thought.

The Miu executed the virtual world was astounding. Kahoru/Angie felt engrossed in the last few trials. What Gonta saw. How Kokichi played his plan out. Why Kaito was sick. The feeling she got when seeing Tsumugi. And the reason why Kiibo sacrificed himself for people that were much different from him. Kahoru/Angie was interested. No, it was Kahoru who was interested.

* * *

Tenko didn't know her relationship with Danganronpa and why she watched it. Tenko didn't know why she had bruises on her body that she had to fix. Tenko didn't know why she wore makeup everywhere. She just didn't understand.

"So what am I doing today?" Tenko asked her therapist.

"Watching Danganronpa," the doctor responded.

"Why?" Tenko asked.

"Shirogane said it's to see all the effort put into this project," the therapist said.

"Alright..." Tenko said hesitantly.

She watched as the TV flashed the opening.

"That's... me," Tenko said.

The girl saw as Chapter 1 commenced, and how the "Tenko" inside the show strongly detested men and how she assumed it was a male who murdered Rantaro. The pit in her stomach felt so deep as she discovered that it was actually Kaede who murdered Rantaro. The way the other Tenko showed her disgust for men made Tenko feel bad, but feel satisfaction at the same time as her character in the show spoke of her hatred. Something deeper inside her boiled. As the Chapters rolled on, she felt bad for all her previous in-show classmates, but saw how her attempts to get closer to Himiko were failing.

**_'I told you. She doesn't care about you'_ **

_'You're wrong. I'm sure she does. She's not... not--'_

Tenko felt something flash inside her brain. A vision. She held her head. Tears started to stream down her face.

_'She's not a boy. Males to defile everything they touch'_

**_'Himiko didn't care about you. No matter how much you tried to get closer to her, she completely rejected you'_ **

"You're wrong," Tenko's hoarse voice croaked.

She looked up at the screen. It showed Tenko taking Himiko's place during the seance.

**_'What would happen if you didn't step up?'_ **

Tenko brought her legs into her arms. She tucked her head. Tears started to stream down her face.

"I just wanted to be friends..." her voice said.

She could faintly hear the TV, when--

"Himiko, stop it with your crappy lies," Kokichi said.

Tenko froze and looked up.

"Lies?" Himiko asked, her voice breaking,

"What you just said was total BS," Kokichi said, smirking, "You didn't give two shits about Tenko when she was alive. But now you're like, 'Oh no! Poor Tenko!'"

Tenko dove under the covers, putting the pillow over her head. She started to sob.

**_'I told you. She doesn't care'_ **

By the time Tenko came out, her tear smothered, puffy eyed face met the trial of Chapter 6. By the end, she felt so conflicted about Tsumugi. She thought that Tsumugi was a good person. Tenko didn't understand.

Maybe... people who watched Danganronpa felt just like this. They were attached to characters just like this. Maybe she, Tenko, was just like this.

* * *

Miu just ate her oatmeal. Light peaked into her room as she continued to consume her breakfast. The TV was about to put on the Danganronpa show which Miu had no intent to watch.

"Iruma-san?"

The blonde girl turned to the woman at the door.

"Are you ready?" the therapist asked.

Miu nodded silently, and turned her blank stare to the black screen. The therapist stepped inside the room. Her blue eyes watched as the opening started to play. When her in-show Miu came on screen, she immediately flinched.

It was disgusting. She was perverted, raunchy, loud, and harsh to others. Miu didn't like it. Her hands gripped her blankets. Her toes curled inwards as she inwardly grimaced. She watched in horror as the TV showed off more of her personality. And more of her body. Miu felt so sick of it all, she couldn't take it anymore. As the other Miu kept saying perverted things, the real Miu exploded. Her mouth opened and she quickly drained the force out of her lungs. She started to grip her palms so tight, it bled during Chapter 2. Not only had "Miu" squeezed her body against Kiibo, it also showed off more of her cleavage. To make things worse, a scene was shone of her all stripped down in front of Gonta. And the other Miu didn't care. By this point, Miu's silent demeanor shattered as her face melted into pure fear and terror. As the next Chapter rolled on, she watched as during the trial, she made moaning noises. The sounds were revolting. Miu covered her ears as tears pricked at her eyes, threatening to spill. But during Chapter 4, she saw how she died. That's when she jolted and started to cry. She gripped the sides of the bed while she made her lungs all sore and tired. Everything seemed to shake and tremble. She tried her best to let out all her screams. They didn't really care that she died. Nobody cared.

"shady person"

"blessing she died instead"

"lived a life of pride, vulgarity, and secrets"

"She was smart. But she was also really, really dumb"

And the way Gonta tried to say that she was all their friends.

"N-no say such mean things," Gonta said, "Killing game bad, not Miu. Miu not bad person. Gonta think we coulda been friends, if things different."

_'Gonta...'_ Miu thought.

Her thoughts were immediately shattered when the others continued to speak.

"That... would've been difficult. Even without this killing game," Himiko said.

"That wouldn't happen," Maki added.

"Nuh-uh. No way, Jose," Kokichi said.

Her heart broke. The only people who probably cared were Kiibo, probably Shuichi and...

_'Akamatsu'_

Even during Chapter 5 and 6, the words hit her like bricks. Even though she paid attention to the last two chapters, she practically broke down after the season ended. Miu shook, her body trembling.

_'I hate Danganronpa'_

* * *

Kokichi sat there as he was wheeled back to his room. His mind felt blank. Nothing. Then he opened his dulled pruple eyes as they shone. Operation: done. He had to do this every day. What he wanted to do was to transplant his in-show personality to his real self.

"Hi!~" he told the therapist.

The therapist smiled back at him, "How was the operation, Ouma-san?"

"All right," he answered, smiling.

"Shirogane-san--"

The therapist didn't notice, but Kokichi's face darkened.

**_'Shirogane'_ **

The sound of her name made him internally cringe. Kokichi didn't like it. He would almost hurl when even thinking about her. He didn't know all the full details exactly, but the purple haired male discovered that she was the mastermind.

"Nishishishi~ What does she want?" Kokichi giggled while curling his toes.

_'Don't think about it'_

**_'I want to kill her'_   
**

_'Just make fun of her'_

**_'I want--'_   
**

"She wants you to watch Danganronpa"

Kokichi was wheeled to and put onto his bed. His purple eyes gazed on as the therapist started to turn on the TV. He shifted uncomfortably as Chapter One rolled around. He saw as Kaede met Shuichi. Shuichi. His first ever crush. Yeah. Kokichi was Bi. He didn't care. Of course...

It didn't really matter to him.

The strangest part was that they were wearing different uniforms. His mouth just opened up and said more strange things. He started to giggle maniacally when Kaede met Kiibo and him. He smiled faintly as he heard Kiibo's familiar nagging about "robophobia" and how he was being mean. Danaganronpa Kokichi just giggled and kept poking fun at him. That's when all of the "Daily Life" turned into "Deadly Life". When he saw Rantaro's dead body, a chilling feeling of an uncomfortable nostalgia shook him to the bone. Kokichi would constantly flex his fingers when he saw how horribly he acted.

But he liked it.

He craved it.

Wanted it.

Asked for it.

Kokichi wanted that new attitude. With that, he could stand up for himself. He could be funny! He could do many sorts of things!

Kaede died. He remembered that he felt... nothing. Nothing anymore. He thought it was stupid how he depended on some blonde who had gotten herself killed. It made him want to throw up on how she looked during the execution. Sweating and turning different shades of red and purple. She looked terrible. He felt bad. What was even worse was one Shuichi went to go visit her Ultimate Lab, he saw her. But of course...

"Ooh! There's me!" he shouted.

He popped on screen. Taunting and teasing the Ultimate Detective. The very one he developed a crush on. "Crush". What a strange word.

The purple haired boy then watched as the second Chapter started, but then heard the eerie music of a death. Ryoma died. Well, that was a shame. Wow, that attitude was really getting to him. As he watched trial, he smirked as he saw he clearly irked Kirumi. He chuckled. That was funny. There were many interesting cut scenes. Ones he chuckled and whimpered at. Kirumi was slowly losing composure. It made him laugh. He watched as Kirumi died such a brutal, bloody death. Even he didn't like it. When the scene of Maki choking him rolled around, he touched his neck. Damn, it hurt. Her grip was strong, and he acknowledged that. He just continued smiling like some damn idiot when he saw Maki's Ultimate Lab. Then as the next trial rolled around, that's when Kokichi recalled biting his tongue so hard because Korekiyo was sick. Disgusting. It left a gross taste in his mouth. The purple haired male then watched as incest porn appeared on the screen. As much as he wanted to hurl, the short male instead started giggling. His tongue just moved on its own, laughing and cackling. During the whole trial, he just wanted to shout "It was him!". But he didn't his damn mouth just kept spilling out with rude and stupid remarks. He couldn't help but feel relief on the inside as he sighed. But he also sighed in boredom, saying that Korekiyo was gone and everyone else was boring. 

"Hah... this feels great..." Kokichi breathed, feeling sweaty.

As he watched Miu beg to use the virtual realty machine, he snorted. The way Miu begged was so pathetic. So petty that he taunted her relentlessly. As he watched Gonta die, his heart twinged a bit. Guilt overtook his body as he say his TV self scoff. But the Ex-Ultimate Supreme Leader brushed it off. Kokichi laid back as he watched him convince the others to help him using Miu's items. And they called him a hypocrite. HE requested the items from Miu. HE thanked her. HE made the idea to go see the outside. And they still--! Then he remembered how he felt at that point. Done. So he did one last attempt to stop Monokuma. Kokichi sacrificed himself. He deflated slightly when he saw his mystery death fail. He asked the nurse for a laptop and typed in the popularity rankings for all the games. Danganronpa 2. For the last trial, he so wanted to throw the borrowed laptop at the screen. But he refrained himself from doing so. What intrigued Kokichi the most was that they themselves had signed up for Danganronpa, while they spoke so badly of the game. Kaede had humanity issues, Shuichi had obsession issues, and Kaito had... issues; issues in general. He smirked, maybe in some ways, one can enjoy the game.

.

.

.

_~~"I don't like this!"~~ _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh. Uh. UH. Sorry this is so late! I lost track of time, and this is the part where I get the writer's block! I know this isn't my best work, but... ugh. I might edit it in the future, who knows. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!


	10. Watching | Blackened

Kaede threw up.

"BLURGH!"

Sick... humanity was sick. Killing each other and doing ridiculous things because of hate. Why go to the extremes? Why would one do this? What was the point? What did people see is destroying each other?

These were the thoughts that flocked into Kaede's mindset everyday. Even though she didn't know now why, but it was there. And it really pestered, which also changed her perspective of the human race.

_'Is this what Shinguji felt?'_ she thought.

Kaede put her hands over her face. She hadn't gotten any sleep during her past recovery. Now she had to watch Danagnronpa.

Fuuuuuuck

That was the last things she honestly wanted to do. As Kaede watched the intro, she started to grip her blanket a little tighter.

Scene, after scene, after scene. As the opening ended, Kaede noticed her nails were digging past the sheets and into her palms. Then, she saw herself come out of the locker. That's where she met Shuichi. She watched as they talked, and how she went around meeting other people. Her heart filled with guilt as she saw Rantaro. She didn't mean to kill him, but she did.

_'Disgusting'_

Kaede watched as they saw Rantaro's dead body as the music played, a strange screeching noise. Kaede covered her ears. It hurt. As the trial ran out, Kaede was interested on how the trial procedure was aired like a sort of game or something. When she was found guilty, her heart broke as she saw Shuichi crying. Then... the chain came down. The way it hurt. Breathing, not breathing. Being hurt while breathing. She couldn't watch it. Her execution. While that terrible music played. Kaede screamed. Her throat hurt though.

_'Why aren't they coming?!'_

One of the nurses burst through the door, but someone told her to come back. Tsumugi.

That made Kaede scream even more. As Kaede stopped, she saw a somewhat ghost of herself playing something for Shuichi, and fainted.

When she came to, she saw Ryoma's dead body. Kaede shook in the bed.

_'Humanity is gross. Disgusting'_

She went to the trashcan and threw up. The blonde girl took the pills on her desk. Kaede sighed and watched Shuichi investigate, not missing a single piece of evidence. When the trial began, Kaede's mind flew off of everything else. Her heart almost dropped to her stomach seeing it was Kirumi who killed Ryoma. Kirumi, who even used her own name to throw everyone off.

_'Why are people like this? Because of fear?'_

Kaede watched as the execution started to play while she was still stuck deep in her thoughts.

_'What is it that people are after?'_ she bit her lip, _'I don't get it? Everything's... disgusting'_

As Kirumi fell, the desperation on her face was very real. For some reason, Kaede smiled. She started to laugh. It was so comical!

"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...." Kaede cackled, "..."

_'Disgusting'_

Kaede watched in faint interest of how the third chapter played out. How strange the crime scenes looked. She really couldn't think of anyone but Korekiyo that was to blame.

And she was right. So utterly, fucking predictable. As she watched the trial finished and them talk at the end, she was mildly surprised to find out Korekiyo's secret.

One she had not anticipated. That was strange. Kaede always saw everything as easy. Too easy to ignore. So easy, she thought it was sickening. Everything was easy to predict and think forward of. Each trial caught her off guard. Like the third, the backstory. Yes, the ex-Ultimate Pianist suspected he had a chilling vibe with him, but never thought he was a killer.

_'Interesting...'_

Yeah, and the blonde should've given Miu more credit than she should've. She underestimated her abilities as the Ultimate Inventor. When Miu died, she assumed it was Kokichi or herself who killed the strawberry blonde. Kaede's mind was twisted and thinking more and more as she saw Miu's elaborate plan (obviously well thought out) and how manipulative and evil Kokichi truly was. But she thought that he was lying. As usual. Danganronpa was full of so many secrets... fascinating. And an obstacle came in the way of thinking: Who was in the Exisal? She assumed it was Kaito, because of hesitation and the way the aura felt to her. As the gears twisted in her mind, Kaede discovered... she was right. As usual.

That's when it came to the last trial. She had been falsely executed. She, Kaede Akamatsu, had successfully trapped the Mastermind in their own scheme. Because of that, the Mastermind had to cheat. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Disgusting. Pig. Cheat.

"You cheated," Kaede seethed.

As the trail kept on going, Kaede screamed as Tsumugi panicked. The more Tsumugi denied the accusations, the more Kaede laughed. When Tsumugi blamed it on her very own sister, she stopped. Did she really have a sister? Who was her sister? Thoughts flooded in on overdrive when she heard:

"Please, everyone! Take a look at this!" a boy or a girl shouted.

A film tape showed Shuichi, wearing a school outfit and his cap.

"Number 154... My name is ," Shuichi said, "I've always been such a huge fan of Danagnronpa and... always wanted to be in one... If I were a contestant, I would want to be... an Ultimate Detective. I know there've been a few in a past, and I've always loved those characters... So I would want to be one of them. Ah, but, I don't have to be a detective. I'll do anything to be part of the show. And I mean that., anything. I'd do... anything to be part of Danganronpa." The screen zoomed in closer to Shuichi's sweating face as he smiled creepily, "I promise, if I get selected... I will work as hard as I can! I will come up with the best, most gruesome murders, I promise! Everyone will love it! And an Ultimate Detective hasn't been the blackened yet, so I'm sure I can do that! I'm also thinking about... the perfect punishment for the Ultimate Detective."

_'I did not see this coming'_

"Even that thing Akamatsu said that moved Saihara's heart..." Tsumugi said.

"What?" Shuichi asked, looking dead and frazzled.

Kaede's heart throbbed, but she ignored it because it might've been her chest growing. He was in so much pain and was so dazed. A scene popped onto the screen with her TV self saying some crappy words.

"Tch," she said.

"That was a lie!" Tsumugi continuted, "'Cuz the real Akamatsu said..."

The same film screen popped onto the TV. With her on it.

"I'm perfect for a killing game," her TV self said, "I don't have any faith in humanity."

"FUCK!" Kaede screamed, "Human trash like you doesn't deserve to live!"

She threw her side table at the screen, just as it crashed onto the side. Lucky break. The screen started to crack as Kaede calmed herself and watched the trial end. As Tsumugi and Kiibo died, she grunted and felt bored. What she didn't expect was the ending. That's when the TV couldn't take it anymore and it broke, the screen going black.

* * *

 

Kirumi sat in her room, still wearing her asylum coat just in case. She actually felt a little snug in it. Of course, she was still a little ding dong, but it would be fine! Kirumi grinned. She would be watching the Danganronpa show.

"Danganronpa? Danganronpa? Why does that sound familiar?" she sing-songed.

She watched as she saw the second trial play out.

"Whoooooooo is that again?" Kirumi laughed, "Oh! Hoshi moshi!"

The screen kept showing Shuichi, since he was the new protagonist after all.

"You!" Kirumi screeched, "It's all your fault!"

The therapists just came and calmed her down.

"Here, Tojo-san. Take this pill..."

Kirumi slowed her breathing and sighed.

"Oh. It's Saihara-san," she said.

She watched in calm silence as her last trial played on. She watched her execution, a trap. It hurt every minute of it. Kirumi briefly glanced at her hands which were tied up at the moment. The way when she emerged, she was confused on how she was alive. She felt like she was going insane. Kirumi sat patiently as Tenko, Angie, and Korekiyo died.

_'They died... but not for real. Korekiyo is no better than me. He's a murderer. A murderer for heaven's sake!'_

Kirumi sat and rested against the wall on her bed as she saw Miu die, Gonta being the murderer, and Kokichi revealing his new dark side. Why was Kokichi being so annoying.

"Oh? What's wrong Kirumi? What's wrong, what's wrong, what's wrong?! Hey, what's wrong?! Hey hey hey hey hey!"

Kirumi clenched her hands. The very same ones that she stabbed herself with thorns. Kokichi... he was such a fucking nuisance. Kirumi screeched and growled. She wouldn't down any pills, but she finally calmed down when discovering Kokichi had died. What a strange feeling. Kirumi started to act up again when Tsumugi was the mastermind. And Tsumugi's actions caused herself to commit murder. And here she was now. Kirumi screamed, tugging at her non-aging grey hair. She sprawled out on the ground, wiggling like a beached fish. She clawed, grasped around, and wanted to kill the blue haired girl. When Tsumugi died, she never thanked Kiibo so much, and fainted.

* * *

 

Korekiyo had trouble reading what was on his skin. There was something under his skin. Under all the tattoos. What was it...? Curiouser and curiouser. His gaze softened. The masked man let out a sigh.

"Why did I sign up for Danaganronpa?" he asked himself.

Knock knock

"Come in," he said as he sunk deeper into his bed.

The nurse timidly walked in and squealed in excitement at the sight of him.

_'What the fuck?'_ he thought.

"Sorry," she said, "It's just that... I don't usually see idols like you these days..."

"Ah," he said.

She leaned in towards him and said, "Can I have your autograph after you regain your memories?"

"Sure?" he said, but it sounded more like a question.

The woman smiled as she screamed into her hands.

"A-anyway," she said in a shaky breath, "Shirogane wanted you to... to watch the show."

"Ah..." Korekiyo said.

He watched as the woman started to set up the TV. When she left, he noticed she had placed a trash can near the door. Why had she done that?

The theme song started as Korekiyo deduced that Kaede was the protagonist. But then, he was hit by a thought:

_'Wait... she died'_

Oh... that was cold. When it showed Kaede emerging the locker, she met Shuichi. After walking around and talking to other people, she met him. Him in the screen. The way he spoke was strange. Different from how he usually spoke. The way he talked about things was different. The things he talked about were different. His personality was different. His demeanor was different. His walk was different. Different. Different. Different.

And he didn't like it.

The way his in-game personality acted was unnerving. He took all the strength to not cringe at himself. Ew. That was just gross. He kept watching as the game progressed. The one thing his mind was stuck on was the beginning. When he saw all of his classmates and himself in their normal school clothes. Except... his voice was slightly different. It was weird. As Korekiyo kept thinking about it, the first murder occurred. As the investigation began, the music... felt familiar. As if... as if--

The trial began. The male who was watching was intrigued by the quality of the show and how the trial procedure went. As if it was almost like a game. Overall, the show was pretty good. Besides the killing and execution part. The music was good. He could not on that. What the hell was wrong with him? Korekiyo kept listening to the music change. And the visuals. He would rate it an A+

"How's it going?" the nurse asked.

The long haired male looked at her, "The visuals and music are amazing."

"Okay... considering... never mind," she said, "Later!"

As Kaede was found guilty, he felt sympathetic towards her. He felt bad. The execution was brutal. Just like his. Why did every single one hurt? Executions were painful. As the second chapter started, he requested to research something. As he typed, he could feel something eerie settle upon his shoulders.

danganronpa executions <\--

[ENTER]

Bam. Several videos. Tons of them. He clicked on one.

Fuck. It was terrible. He visibly cringed. The blood and everything. It was interesting how they edited the blood for the rating of the show, but ew. The Ultimate Candle Maker was cut up, blended, and mixed with wax. Escape room style. They were stuck in an escape room as wax flooded the room. The girl had climbed up the wall to pull the emergency escape lever. But when they did, wax poured down on them. Then they got mixed by wooden spoons. Chopped up. Cooled. And taken away. Later, every student was given a candle. Made of the wax, blood and body parts of the girl who was executed. It was gross. When he saw that, he almost threw up. Now he understood why the trash can was there. Just in time. When he looked up, he was in the middle of a trial.

_'Good to know,'_ he thought.

As the trial went on, he noted that Kirumi was good at deflecting that she was guilty. Man, if only he had done that. When the trial ended, he noted that there was different music. The execution began. Korekiyo looked away. He couldn't watch. Gross. Gross. When his time came up, that's when he threw up. Incest? I mean, he wasn't one to judge, but he wasn't interested in those kinds of relationships.

_'Do I even have a sister?'_ he thought to himself.

When a picture showed up on the screen, he threw up into the trashcan. His stomach emptied as his head felt light. His eyes fluttered as he passed out.

When the ex-Ultimate Anthropologist came to, he saw Kiibo demolishing the school and the ending.

_'Man, that was sickening...'_

* * *

 

Gonta felt terrible. Guilt seeped into his bones and threaded between his very being a the moment. He just wanted it all to be a lie. A cruel joke that someone had told him. But no. It was just his hopeful, ignorant self, hoping there would be some sort of miracle that would save himself from his own sins.

_'Why? Why would Go--I do this?'_

Slowly but steadily, Gonta was starting think he was going insane. The way he brutally murdered Miu. Probably one of the worst ways to die. Asphyxiation. Choking. Instead of dying immediately, she has struggled so hard. In similarity to Kaede, she was strangled. It hurt to see how much the girl struggled to live. She had a strong will to. And Gonta crushed it. Had Gonta had his normal strength, he could've snapped her neck. And that possibility mortified him. How could he let himself do this?

As Gonta held these excruciating thoughts, a nurse entered the room.

"Gokuhara-san?" she asked.

Gonta turned to face her. She was a blurry mess. His big hands raked along the side table as he navigated his glasses. When he placed them on the bridge of his nose, he saw her brown hair and blue eyes clearly.

"Shirogane-san requested that you watch the show, Danganronpa 53," the nurse said.

Gonta rolled over in his bed.

"No"

She was unfazed. The nurse walked over to the TV and started to prep it. She slipped in a DVD. She started to walk to the door. Then she spoke to him.

"Even if you refuse to watch it, I have to keep it on anyway," she said.

The door closed. Gonta couldn't watch. But it caught his attention.

Like a spider snaring a fly into its trap.

Gonta was entranced. This sense of euphoria flooding into him. A sense of relief from the rest of the world. Watching all this struggle and pain. All these worries and heartache. Happening in the show. And not him.

No! He shouldn't think these thoughts! They weren't nice! He shouldn't be thinking about them! It's disgusting and revolting! And yet...

"Wow"

He _enjoyed_ it. Gonta just sat there with a blank face. As Kaede choked and sweat, he couldn't speak. He had no words.

_'Akamatsu! Be careful!'_

But the words just never came out. What was wrong with him?

_'Say something! Move! Why is Gonta not moving?!'_

Same thing over and over.

_'Ryoma, don't go!'_

_'Kirumi, watch out!'_

_'Angie, go back to sleep!'_

_'Tenko, don't go under there!'_

_'Korekiyo... why?'_

Repeat. Repeat.

Until it came to Miu. As Kokichi manipulated the whole trial, Gonta watched as his TV self had walked right into his trap. He died. Oh so painfully. Gonta felt around his stomach. It hurt. So much. The burns around his arms didn't lift up either. This enraged him, made him angry. Could he really feel angry? Why was he feeling these emotions. Especially happiness and relief to see Kokichi dead.

_'Why is Gonta thinking these things?!'_

Gonta almost started laughing when Kokichi died. Then he started crying. Then screaming. Yelling. Throwing things across the room and banging on the walls. Crying again. Then he almost fainted. Gonta slammed his face into his pillow to wake himself up.

It was his fault everyone was so distraught.

It was his fault that everything had gone down

His death drove the group apart.

He laid town and looked back up. They were having another trial. Disappointed he missed what was going on during his tantrum, he picked up his glasses off the floor. When he placed them onto his face, he started to pick up the pieces and understand what was going on.

They were exposing the Mastermind.

And that was Tsumugi. She had denied what was being thrown at her, then slunk back to her "Junko Enoshima" form to hide her shame. She claimed to be a girl named Junko Enoshima who wanted to spread despair. This made Gonta angry.

_'Keep it under control...'_

Tsumugi taunted them and kept changing outfits and personalities. But that never changed his own opinion of her. He hated her, no matter what form she took. Gonta couldn't help but feel the wave of despair that washed over him as he saw how many people supported Danganronpa. How could they? It was a terrible game! Why...? When the trial ended, he cheered in success, despite Kiibo sacrificing himself. Gonta was laughing at the end. By this point, he felt like crying.

Not only was he hurt, his humanity was gone.

* * *

Kiibo gasped as he backed away from the TV.

"No! I'm not watching it!" he shrieked.

Tsumugi clasped her hands together, "But you have to! Or we can't come up with any ideas!"

Kiibo clenched his teeth as he pushed her aside and bolted. Even though his legs were weak, he could still function.

_'I don't often get tired so--oh. That was when I was a robot'_

That's when Kiibo tripped. He couldn't get up. His legs... they weren't moving.

_'Come on! Move it!'_ he thought to himself.

He heard her sickly sweet laughter as she skipped up right next to him and grinned.

"Still not used to your human body?" she asked while grinning, "Sorry, but I'm more used to mine! You have no recollection of anything you've done in your past life!"

Kiibo grit his teeth as his body was immobile. It wouldn't move for some reason! Why? Kiibo trembled as he felt this disappointment course through his body. A human body. Something he's always wanted, and he can't even use it. Kiibo weakly clenched his fist as his feet were grabbed and he was dragged back to his room.

"What do you want with me...?" he asked.

"I want you to watch the show we worked on together of course!" Tsumugi exclaimed.

"No!"

She still dragged him away.

Now, he sat. A trashcan had been propped up beside him. Kiibo's eyes darted here and there. At the trashcan, tv, his cuffed hands, his bed, Shirogane--

"Well, I'll see you later, Idabashi!" she said cheerfully as she hobbled out the door.

_'Hobbling? Must be ill'_

As he turned back to the TV. The opening started to play. Though he doesn't recall ever hearing the tune before, Kiibo swears it sounds so familiar.

"Where was it from...?" he asked, snapping his fingers.

He can't remember. He mopes down sadly. All in all, the animations and art are amazing! Why would he agree to waste such talent on a killing game show?! It was absurd! Crazy! Stupid! And maybe he was at the time... Kiibo was especially intrigued when a murder occurred. He was absorbing all the details. Interesting interesting...

Suddenly, a spark struck him as he was in the midst of the trial.

It hurt.

A lot.

He screamed in pure agony. His head hurt, but he couldn't hold it. His hands were cuffed to the bed. Dammit Shirogane! Kiibo's head screamed as it felt like oblivion exploded in his head.

_'It hurts...! It hurts so much! Stop it...! Stop it!'_

"STOP!" he screamed.

But the next day just played on. The magic show. The feeling of being thrown against the glass like a useless doll. That's what they all treated him like. Maybe that's why he felt dead inside at the moment. But he was feeling an unbearable pain. He was screaming so loud. Then it showed Shuichi's investigation as the music also sounded familiar as if it were the type he would listen to every single day. Then the trial. The animations. The quality. Seemed oh so familiar.

Then... it all just exploded.

\---

Once Kiibo emerged from the room, he started to laugh. He clutched his head and fell to the ground. Though he could barely watch the show, he could feel it through the screen, resonating with him.

"Patient Ibadashi has fallen to the floor! We require assistance immediately!"

Kiibo had tears streaming out of his face. That's where those trial functions were from. A very rare occurrence just took place. Kiibo just got a single fragment of his memories back.

And it was driving him insane.

And as much Tsumugi would've love to see the shock and pain on his face, she too, was asleep in her own struggles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fricken chicken. Sorry this was so late. I have no excuses. I just can't wait until this part is over because it's giving me major writer's block. Next chapter might come out later because of my unprepared ass. Sorry.


	11. Watching | Survivors

Shuichi couldn't believe what was happening. His heart was soaring, pumping, and beating with excitement. Every day it was like this. It was so annoying. Why? Ever since he was informed that he was sleeping, eating, breathing inside a Danganronpa studio. Well, the medical part where the actors recover. He giggled. It was so fucking frustrating and weird. He would do it all the time and it was really annoying. And today... today he was going to watch his very own show.  
  
And he was the protagonist.  
  
The very thought lifted his spirits and his mood just shot up. Almost every minute, Shuichi had to wipe some drool that was dribbling down his chin. How annoying. But another part of himself relished it. Liked it. Loved it. Craved it. Engrossed. Addicted. Obsessed. Those were three words he could describe the weird feeling in his chest, and the strange thoughts in his head.  
  
"Saihara-san, are you sure you're okay?" the woman escorting him from the restroom asked.  
  
He wobbled as he steadied himself into his wheelchair, "Yes. I'm fine."  
  
As the chair squeaked against the floors, he gazed at the walls.  
  
"...where are the others?" he asked the woman pushing him.  
  
She just smiled and said, "We can't have you all meet right now."  
  
What was that supposed to mean? He never really got an answer as he was led to his bed. He eased himself into the bed as he sank into the mattress. He let out a sigh he just seemed to be holding for some strange reason. Shuichi just gazed at the blank screen of the TV that would soon.  
  
_'Show me, me, **me** , on a TV show. That's... **weird** '_  
  
He was feeling conflicting emotions. The boy didn't really know what his opinions were and what to think at this point. If he thought of Danganronpa one more time, his brain would fucking explode--  
  
The theme song started playing.  
  
His brain went on overdrive.  
  
Based on the opening, Kaede was the main character. And he was the second main character. But... he remembered Kaede dying first. It was weird.  
  
Unless...  
  
He clamped a hand over his mouth.  
  
_'That's sick!'_ he thought as his whole world was shaken.  
  
He watched as Kaede fell out of her locker in a different school uniform. Which was strange because he had no recollection of the occurrence of him and her meeting dressed like that. As they ran from the Exisals, his eyes widened at the sight of everyone else in different uniforms. And at how they all immediately just changed clothes. Then everything reversed. The plot was really screwing with his brain at that point.  
  
He probably needed a nap.  
  
Shuichi watched as Kaede and he were trying to put a stop to the mastermind. He was embarrassed because he used to be so socially awkward, it was weird. Always lowering down his hat. Hiding behind Kaede. Never speaking up. But... all of that changed when...  
  
_'When she died,'_ Shuichi thought.  
  
As he heard the chimes of the bells at the body announcement, he snapped back to reality. A horrible screeching noise occurred as it showed Rantaro's corpse and pink blood (possibly for the rating warnings) spilling out of his head.  
  
Not a good sign.  
  
As Shuichi gazed at the screen, it showed them investigating. And his old detective senses were on alert. He knew what happened after this. He gripped the sheets of his bed. The black-haired boy couldn't bear watching this. He wanted to gouge his eyes out. But he couldn't.  
  
All he could do was watch.  
  
So helpless, he was. It made him feel pathetic. As if he would stay like that for the rest of his life. Suddenly, tears started to spill out of his eyes. He touched his cheeks as the salty water trailed down his face. He was stuck like this. He didn't really do anything. In contrast to Kaede, he played along with Monokuma's ways, delaying the almost inevitable. Kaede actually did something. He was so stupid and useless. Because of him, Rantaro, the boy he barely knew and could've helped them survive, and Kaede, the girl who carried so much light and tried to make a change, both of them perished so early.  
  
_'I'm so weak. So helpless! I can't do anything!'_  
  
Kaede just continued smiling. Smiling. Smiling. How was she smiling in all this despair? There was no hope! How could she do it?! How she stood with herself until she broke in the trial, letting him end it all.  
  
Shuichi just sat there.  
  
And started to cry.  
  
He was so weak and incompetent.  
  
"AHHHHHH!" he screamed.  
  
Everything  
  
Was  
  
Driving  
  
Him  
  
Crazy  
  
What could he do in this situation? Kaede always saved him. And now she died.  
  
What was it...? Those words he kept telling himself.  
  
_'Man up, Shuichi. You're so weak. Get up. She died because of you. Besides. Just make sure it never happens ever again'_  
  
But it happened again.  
  
Ryoma was dead. Blood swirling everywhere. His bones sinking to the bottom of the tank. Ryoma, the poor tennis player who just wanted peace. Shuichi couldn't give it to him. He felt so damn useless and frustrated with himself. He always mentally cringed on the slow death Ryoma had. In fucking handcuffs. Cruel.  
  
_'It's okay Shuichi. Do the trial and it'll be all over'_  
  
Yeah right. Shuichi clutched his face and drily chuckled. What a big fat lie.  
  
He had watched in horror the thing that ate Kirumi alive, the last thing she wanted: despair. It tore her apart. The moment she ran away. The moment she climbed up the vine. The moment she fell. Desperation at its finest. He did that. Because of him, she had to endure that pain until she plummeted towards her despair and awaiting death. How dare he have the audacity to tell her to run when he released the dogs.  
  
_'This will never happen again. You can do it, Shuichi'_  
  
What a load of crap. The next thing he saw was Angie's body lying on the ground, the blood spilling out from her body. What unnerved him more were the fake figures of his old deceased classmates. Though she had a strange mind, she still had positive intentions. Those intentions didn't save her from the Reaper's grasp, though. The poor Ultimate Artist, her blind faith in her "Atua" led her there. Then, it got even worse.  
  
It was strange with Tenko. When he saw her not moving in the cage, his body just froze. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't move. Couldn't see. He was blinded with white. Some kind of feeling filled within him. Nothing. He couldn't feel anything. They never had been that close. Was he going insane? Then he realized what the battle in his head was.  
  
Despair  
  
He thought that he told himself that it would never happen again.  
  
_"Tenko's death is meaningless. We have to solve Angie's case"_  
  
But it did. Over and over and over again. When would it stop?  
  
When would everyone stop killing each other?  
  
Korekiyo was a strange case. It was a twisted motive for him to kill the two girls. Nonetheless, Shuichi felt ashamed for feeling a little glad sending him off. That's when he was so done with himself. Nobody really wanted to die. Everybody was scared.  
  
When would everyone stop dying?  
  
He didn't know. Then it kept happening. When he saw Miu's cold, dead body just laying there. Her face of pure agony just telling him how excruciating it was. Her eyes, it was so disturbing.  
  
Why did it happen again?  
  
Gonta was executed as the blade struck straight through his gut. That was his fault. He exposed the truth, the truth he was taught was good. Boy, Shuichi never regretted it. He sent a good person to their death. Even Kokichi told the detective himself, it was Shuichi's own fault that this was happening to Gonta. Kaito lashed out at him. The group was being driven apart. All because of the truth. The truth Shuichi wielded.  
  
Why couldn't he do anything to stop it?  
  
He remembered staring at the pink bloody mess in the compressor. For some strange reason, he felt relief and remorse at the same time. Kokichi was really, trying to do something to stop everything. Even that liar, the one everybody hated, tried to do something that Shuichi couldn't.  
  
Why was he so weak?  
  
His eyes widened at the sight of Kaito dying in the middle of his trial. The blood dripping down his shirt as the Ultimate Astronaut just continued to smile. How foolish. How could he smile? All the brightest hopes in his lives... just gone like that. Out like a light. His body crashing to the floor. Maki's face of anguish. The guilt filling his body. Why was he losing everything?  
  
Why couldn't he move?  
  
Tsumugi was revealed to be the mastermind. A tremendous amount of anger boiling within his churning stomach. A feeling of pure, raw anger that was blazing white. Wanting blood. Her pain. He wanted to hurt her. For hurting them. Shuichi felt so tempted... As Kiibo sacrificed himself as rock crushed the bluenette, his sadness grew, but his inner anger multiplied. Kiibo was now disappearing. The one who just wanted to fit in. Disappearing. Just like that. Even Kiibo, a robot that was different from them, did something he couldn't. Shuichi flopped onto the pillow on his bed.  
  
_'You're so weak, Shuichi'_

* * *

  
  
Maki huffed as she struggled to stand up from her wheelchair. Damn. She probably looked pathetic right now. She cringed about what it looked like if someone saw her at this state.  
  
That would be terrible.  
  
She got up as the doctor held her chart. Maki started to slowly walk across the barred area. Her legs screamed in agony as they had not been used in such a long time. She clenched her teeth and bit her lip. Her hands touched the cold metal bar as she slowly trudged across the black mat.  
  
"Good job," the doctor said as he rolled the wheelchair over to her.  
  
Maki shuffled over near the contraption and sat her bottom down on it as she placed her feet on the edge. The man started to wheel her through the hallways as she heard the tires of the wheelchair squeak against the smooth floor.  
  
_'Bet a thousand that I look like trash right about now'_  
  
The brunette sighed as she lay back in the medical object. Her red eyes quickly glanced at names on some of the doors. Only a few names she could recognize.  
  
_'Tenko... Kahoru... Himiko...'_  
  
Her neck wouldn't comply quick enough for her to read some of the other ones long enough. Damn, she felt useless in this chair. Then they started to slow and stop in front of her room. The doctor began to turn the knob to the door and open it as a woman walked up to the doctor. The two switched off as Maki was wheeled by the woman inside. The girl started to slowly rise from her chair and lay on the bed.  
  
"I'll be sleeping now," Maki said.  
  
"I'm afraid you have a video to watch..." the nurse said.  
  
"I don't care"  
  
"H-Harukawa-san!"  
  
After much convincing, Maki caved in as she reluctantly sat up to watch the video. The nurse sighed in relief as she didn't have to keep up the debate much longer. She turned on the TV and started to prepare it. Maki pulled her blanket over her shoulders.  
  
"Harukawa-san, it's ready"  
  
The red-eyed girl started to sit up as she watched the screen flash.  
  
"What is this about?" she drawled.  
  
The nurse didn't answer and left the room.  
  
_'Shitty staff'_ Maki thought.  
  
Maki just thought that her bottom hurt and that she needed a nap. As her eyes shifted to the screen, she flinched, realizing that she was watching the show she debuted in.  
  
"Is this a joke?" she growled murderously, "You've got to be kidding me."  
  
It showed Kaede clambering out of a locker as she greeted Shuichi. They both made their way through the mysterious school and found... them. The other students.  
  
At this point, Maki was confused. What the actual hell was going on? She didn't recall doing this in the simulation.  
  
Then time restarted. Now they wore their Ultimate outfits. Maki was getting on edge and bit her nail.  
  
_'This isn't good,'_ Maki thought, _'Not only do I not remember my past life, but I also don't remember that either.'_  
  
Maki continued to watch in silence as the rest of her ex-classmates started searching for a way to break through Monokuma's orders to slaughter each other or they would all die.  
  
She barely got out alive herself. Maki was actually enjoying watching it from Kaede's point of view.  
  
_'So that's why...'_ Maki thought, _'In the end, she meant to do good, but... Shirogane ruined it all!'_  
  
The brunette's face contorted as she bit her lip and gripped the sheets of the bed. Her eyes zeroed in on the bespectacled girl who smiled innocently at Kaede and Shuichi, but Maki knew that she was a fucking traitor.  
  
_'Traitor... YOU WERE THE MASTERMIND!'_ Maki thought, a vein popping near her forehead.  
  
The Danganronpa company best not fuck with her, since her temper was explosive: simmering quietly, and then bursting forth in a large wave. Especially with on certain bluenette appearing on the screen. She kept watching though. Feeling desperation at its highest during the trial. Watching Kaede's inner struggle and Shuichi's silence. And how everyone just pointed their finger at the other with no regard. She was one of those people. That was probably how she got karma. And then she lost Kaito.  
  
Kaede was now in tears as Shuichi also started crying, desperately reaching out towards her. Up close, Maki saw how brutal her execution was. Suffocation. It would hurt to breathe and not to breathe. Her fate was sealed at this moment.  
  
A fate she didn't deserve.  
  
Contempt towards the bespectacled girl rose in Maki's chest. The next chapter came. Maki knew that she was in a tight spot during the second trial. Kirumi had almost gotten away with murder. As she watched the day proceed, she paid attention to the fish tank incident. As she stared closely, she noticed that Gonta was uneasy by the tone of his voice. Then she stared as the ominous music played and Ryoma's bones sunk to the bottom of the tank. The investigation began. Shuichi was clever, she had to admit. By using clues, alibis, and support from others, he made great deductions and always saved them in the end. Maki visibly cringed as she saw Miu's half-naked form appear on the TV with the flustered Gonta. Kokichi acting like a little shit. Maki's rage grew as Tsumugi continued to feign innocence as it enraged her further and further. She was so tempted to launch herself on the TV, a TV! Then came the execution of Kirumi. Shuichi's description of her was on point. A feral, raw feeling ripping the poor maid apart. The ex-assassin just had to gape at the sight of her execution. Brutally tearing the silver-haired girl apart at each and every step. Maki cursed Tsumugi thousands of times to burn in hell. The girl drew circles in her blanket as she suddenly remembered:  
  
Kokichi exposed her like the little prick he was.  
  
The next chapter came, as Maki now straightened as she saw them observing her Ultimate Lab. Weapons everywhere. She inwardly cringed. She felt exposed as if a spotlight suddenly shifted onto her. The brunette just wanted to stop staring at this screen already. Her eyes glanced towards the door. Maybe if she stared at it long enough, this hell would be all over. But it didn't to her disappointment. Maki never really liked Angie. She was so optimistic it was annoying. Whenever she was wrong, she would always find a way to shove the blame onto someone else. Preaching here and there about her beloved and precious "Atua". Tenko was bothersome but was easy to manage... if Himiko wasn't in near her in a ten-foot radius. The girl was helpful at some times. "Some times" meaning just a little bit. The Aikido girl was so entranced with Himiko, it got her killed. First Angie. Her blood spilling all over the floor. Surrounded by creepy figures of deceased classmates. That was how her own belief got her killed. Tenko as well. Her love for Himiko led to her demise. Had Himiko been there, though... Tenko would've broken down. What was more baffling was the way Himiko was suddenly worried about Tenko in the first place. But no matter. In the trial, they started to break down Angie's case to get nothing. Himiko wanted to look at Tenko's death, but Kokichi protested. In fact, Maki had to slightly agree with him. What was Himiko's change of heart? How strange. They found the killer. Thanks to Shuichi, again. She silently thanked him every single time, but she never told him. Korekiyo. What the actual fuck. He was so damn creepy. Apparently, he was in an incestuous relationship with his sister and after her passing, the Anthropologist swore to kill 100 girls so they could be his sister's friends in heaven or whatever. Creepy.  
  
_'Damn, that's creepy,'_ Maki thought as a picture popped up on the screen.  
  
Each step along the way, Maki just grew more infuriated and frustrated at Tsumugi. How could've she been so blind? Her actions were already suspicious from the beginning! Why couldn't she...?  
  
As the girl continued to gaze at the screen, she clicked her tongue as she watched them enter the Virtual World. Her feelings about Miu were straight on point. Maki had made it quite clear that she did not like the girl. Similarly to most of the other girls, she was also annoying. Constantly cracking sex jokes and always bragging about being a "genius" when she clearly lacked common sense just like some people. She did acknowledge that the girl could build inventions though, but it was buried under all that inappropriate sense of humor she produced at the wrong time in the wrong way. How annoying. Gonta was a kind, sweet person. Not that Maki would straight up say that out loud. It just seemed like the appropriate words to describe him. She just thought of him as a biiiit over excessive in being a little meddlesome, but he was genuinely kind and considerate. He was trustworthy. It was then later that it was all torn apart by Kokichi. That little shit. He completely wrecked all their trust and motivation. Coming back, scaring Maki to death by making her think that Kaito had died. Gonta's death was interesting. At first, she didn't quite understand the strange theme. It didn't make sense. Danganronpa didn't make sense. Nothing made sense. A swarm of robotic bees swarmed towards the Entomologist, ones he couldn't control. How ironic. Maki felt bad for the Ultimate, for he had no intention of brutally murdering someone and didn't recall any of those events. What also added fuel to the fire, was that Tsumugi was putting on a whole show of sobbing. At the moment, she was so angry at Kokichi, Tsumugi surprisingly came as a sudden afterthought instead. Kokichi was the main target of her anger, the little brat. The grand master of those perfectly orchestrated events? What perturbed her the most was the fact that Kokichi was the one who wrote 'Horse a' just to be some stupid message.  
  
Damn Kokichi.  
  
Maki clenched her fists until they turned red where her fingers pressed, and white near her knuckles. She couldn't stop baring her teeth at the annoying little troll on the screen parading around with a shit-faced grin. He showed them Miu's objects, the interesting duo that had both backstabbed each other. She was so tempted to charge towards the screen as her last strand of sanity acted as cuffs to try and restrain her rage. The anger inside Maki's stomach told her to rip Kokichi apart. And she hadn't forgotten about Shirogane, that's for sure. She... she was the reason this had all happened. If only she could.... kill her. Then, Kaito, she watched as he started to cough up blood after the trial, would've never died. Or... it would've never ended up like this. Not like this. She started taking in harsh breaths as she saw Kaito's body slide to the floor and her face puffy and full of tears. She clutched her chest as she couldn't breathe.  
  
She was having a hyperventilation attack.  
  
Doctors entered the room and eased her down and started helping her as she clutched the clothes near her chest. Her lungs... they hurt. She just wanted it to stop.  
  
_'It's burning. A lot. Help. Help me.'_  
  
They started giving Maki something. She didn't know what, but her breathing stopped. Her eyes swerved towards the screen.  
  
_'Kaito can't help me. Not anymore.'_  
  
After she took a deep breath and sighed, she regained her sanity. Her eyes looked over at the screen. She stared intently at Tsumugi.  
  
_'Shirogane. When I regain strength, when I see you, I will **end** you,'_ Maki threatened in her mind.  
  
The girl sat and stared at the last chapter. Poor Kiibo. The only people who were close to him were people like Miu. He tried so hard to be human but was just discouraged. Maki should've gotten closer, or make someone do it. He ended up sacrificing himself for them, even though they kind of saw him as different. He only wanted the opposite of that: to fit in. Shirogane infuriated the brunette. What was her motive? What was the girl after? It was so confusing and twisted. As she watched them talk and look at the hole in the sky, a doctor came into the room.

* * *

  
  
Himiko enjoyed the white hospital clothes for some peculiar. Perhaps she was a neat freak in her past life. She liked eating food. Maybe the cooks at hospitals were really good.  
  
"Are you done eating?" a nurse asked her.  
  
"No," Himiko answered, "Go away."  
  
"Okay..."  
  
The petite girl grabbed another bowl of soup and put the tomato liquid into her mouth. The sour, acidic taste spread over her tongue. She smiled as she shoveled the soup into her mouth even faster as she finished and wiped her mouth.  
  
"I'm ready to go," she said.  
  
Himiko started to get up as the nurse quickly ushered her to sit down. The woman then started to wheel a wheelchair over to her. The girl was placed onto the chair and rolled towards her room. In the hallways, she heard screaming. The ex-Ultimate Magician jolted as she almost fell off. The nurse slowly stopped.  
  
"Ah, that must be..." the nurse murmured without finishing her sentence.  
  
_'Can we get a move on? I'm tired,'_ Himiko thought.  
  
The nurse started to push her again as they entered her room. The woman eased Himiko into her bed as the girl sighed.  
  
"Nyeh, I'm going to go to bed now," Himiko said.  
  
"Um...." the nurse said, "Shirogane-san requested you watch this, Yumeno-san--"  
  
"No," Himiko said, "I'm tired. Leave me be."  
  
Her words were weak but insistent.  
  
"Yumeno-san," the nurse started again.  
  
"I told you to leave me alone," Himiko repeated.  
  
As the nurse could see, there was no way around Himiko's stubborn nature. They would have to wait.  
  
\---  
  
"Yumeno-san," the nurse said.  
  
"What?" she asked after waking up from her nap.  
  
"Watch this. Now," the nurse said, turning on the TV.  
  
_'It's probably unimportant--'_ Himiko thought as she was cut off.  
  
Her eyes widened as she stared at the purple and black contrast. She squinted her eyes. Those were her classmates. What was going on? Why were they in the TV...?  
  
Right. They were in a TV show. Danganronpa was a TV show. It was all fake.  
  
"What is going on?" Himiko asked, "This shouldn't be happening. What witchcraft is this? Everyone is watching this?"  
  
Himiko was especially upset. She couldn't believe it as she watched them all suddenly change outfits. Her eyes could see them all talk. All interacting. All trying to kill each other. All of them solving cases together. She would see that. Her eyes fell on Kaede. The poor Ultimate Pianist. Trying to save everybody, but dying in vain because of Tsumugi. Tsumugi. Himiko looked tired on the outside, but she was really boiling with rage. Her own plan failed, but she killed Kaede in her own steed. It was so selfish. That familiar feeling Himiko got from one of her classmates. They emitted their gluttony, she could practically feel it with her magic senses. Disgusting. Tsumugi Shirogane was complete and utter trash that cowered in the shadows. Kaede was a brilliant healer who would comfort all those around her. Was fed to the wolves as an innocent lamb. Himiko was a stone statue that couldn't do anything. Rantaro was a mystery, a shadow. An oddity to be discovered. They didn't deserve the fates they had. Strung along like lifeless puppets. Himiko felt so damn useless. It felt awful just staring at them, not doing anything. Kaede's face transforming into many shades of color with sweat and anguish. The poor girl had been hung terribly, breathing torture. Breathing every moment must've been difficult for the girl. It was terrifying. Shuichi was wrecked by her death and "betrayal". A wave of greed swept over Himiko's senses. It was not her own, but a sensation she felt during the whole ordeal. The Ultimate Magician just couldn't pinpoint who it was though.  
  
Angie was a girl who shone in the darkness of despair. Partly the reason why Himiko was so attracted to her. She was desperate for some light. Now, she pictured Ryoma as a dwarf. A small one who just wanted forgiveness. He had committed a crime for the greater good. A male who deserved more than he got. Then the girl who came along was Kirumi Tojo. This female had a great prestige presence. Himiko felt a great power from her. Which is why she perceived her as a warrior. Not the hero, but a companion. Someone going unrecognized for their own noble actions. But that person could also become a traitor. Kirumi claimed to be on their side, but she wasn't. Then it dawned on her: she couldn't trust anyone around herself. Everyone encased in the same school as she was dangerous. That feeling she felt after the first trial was actually real. Himiko knew that she would have to be extra alert. Kirumi was slick. She would deflect coming at her. Then, Shuichi, the hero, pounced and caught her in a lie. A lie... Kokichi was an annoying turd. A troll or a goblin. A prankster. Some annoying little boy who just wanted to mess everything up. How annoying. He was so active at whatever he was doing. During Kirumi's trial, he was the one who pressured her. Kirumi had screamed, shaking Himiko to the very bone. The Ultimate Maid began to run for her very life. The traitor, the companion going unnoticed, running like a coward. But at this moment, Himiko thought she was brave. A woman who tried to strive for the better. The silver-haired maid had frantically managed to grip onto a thorny vine to scale up to her escape. It must've been torture, but it just got worse as saws sliced all over her body. All of those brutal attacks Kirumi endured were in vain as her escape was a trap to induce despair. The poor girl breaking the fraying vine as she fell to her death. Her face was gaunt and pale as despair crossed over the girl's features. A gruesome, bone shattering **CRUNCH** resounded through the area. It was also the time Kokichi exposed Maki's true nature. The Little Red Riding Hood hiding her claws and fangs. She turned out to be a wolf. Himiko remembered shaking as she was so confused and afraid. Who wouldn't be? Seeing Tsumugi standing there as if she was innocent made her stomach turn over. Disgusting. Himiko collapsed back into the arms of her bed.  
  
Ah, all this thinking and watching was an overload on her brain.  
  
"I'm going to sleep," she said as she paused the video.  
  
"Yumeno-san!"  
  
The redhead didn't care as she fell asleep under the covers.  
  
\---  
  
When she awoke, her head was dizzy. The girl rubbed her drowsy eyes and opened them wide. She couldn't remember what she was last doing.  
  
_'What was it...? Nyeh, this is too much brain power...'_ Himiko thought tiredly.  
  
"Yumeno-san," a voice said, "Here's a glass of water."  
  
She feebly took it as her gullet was refreshed with the cool water. Himiko's vision adjusted as she could see what was happening.  
  
"Nyeh, what do you want?" she mumbled while trying not to drop the glass cup.  
  
"Yumeno-san, you fell asleep again. I beg you to finish the show if you want to rest longer," a feminine voice echoed.  
  
Himiko looked up to see the nurse from yesterday. That's when the girl remembered the Danganronpa show.  
  
"...do you know why people like it?" her voice gravely asked.  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Danganronpa. Why has it gone on for this long?" Himiko asked, "Tell me."  
  
The nurse started to turn on the TV, "The plot. Murders. Execution. Mystery. Everything. It's very being that makes Danganronpa, Danganronpa."  
  
Himiko didn't respond as her eyes shifted to the TV. The screen blared a big fat CHAPTER THREE. Himiko's stomach dropped into a bottomless pit. This was when Angie created the little 'council' to try and bring everyone together. Except that the Ultimate Artist was also murdered around this time. Himiko saw Angie as an angel. An angel sent by the girl's own "god". And in that moment of despair, Himiko remembered seeing hope. The time she befriended her was a time of darkness. Playing in that girl's charade of worshiping Atua took her mind off the whole ordeal. Except for when Angie discovered a possible way to revive their deceased friends. Himiko screamed.  
  
_"Don't do it!"_  
  
Was what she meant to say. But the words couldn't come out. Lodged into her throat.  
  
All she could do was watch like the stone statue she was in her rigid posture. She knew she was losing composure. To her displeasure, she wanted to scream when Kokichi pick locked the door. Angie's body lay there in a puddle of blood. Himiko felt like throwing up. It was sick. Angie's body just... just laying there. And she knew who did it. That demon, Korekiyo. She wanted to tear him into little bits. Why? And for such an absurd reason. It wasn't over, she knew. Her other angel, Tenko. Tenko was a big sister and a guardian angel. Himiko was so stupid for not realizing this fact sooner and not appreciating her at the time. But she cared, didn't she?! Then why did that little goblin troll Kokichi... say those things? It wasn't true, it couldn't be. She calmed herself, knowing it was a waste of energy to debate over, and continued to watch. The sight of Korekiyo going mad during the trial, and him naked while hugging his sister were both sights she wanted to erase from her mind. Why did those two have to be murdered? Everything around her just... crumbled away. Gone in an instant. Himiko didn't want to admit it, but it was satisfying watching Korekiyo die. But she definitely wasn't like him. She was most certainly different. They were on different levels, nothing alike. They were different.  
  
Miu was a succubus in her mind.  A girl who constantly had a loud mouth that spat out profanity. Cracking sexual jokes at the worse times and for no apparent reason. Himiko didn't really see a difference with her gone, except for the fact that the vulgarity the girl brought was all gone. The moment the girl invited them into the virtual world, she didn't see anything wrong. But she distrusted the girl even more after discovering her plans to murder, even though she was the one murdered instead. Her thoughts changed after she learned it was Kokichi the dirty minded girl intended to murder. Miu or Kokichi, the fact itself to choose was hard. Damn Kokichi all the way to hell, for he had successfully manipulated Gonta, the boy with a big heart, to murder Miu. Gonta was a friendly giant who had stumbled onto some very bad luck: Kokichi. Miu's cold, dead body was not the first thing she was planning to wake up to in the first place. What upset her the most was how Kokichi had disposed of Gonta. The boy had been stung by multiple robotic bugs on a stake. Then stabbed. The poor guy looked shocked. Then burned. Himiko was close to tears. Why? Kokichi was just that mean, that's all. And he was the one who wrote that false clue from the beginning.  
  
The next chapter came. Kokichi held up some bombs he showed and off and swung around a few hammers. Those were Miu's inventions. The little goblin troll came up and snatched them. He was part in the plan to kill her but used her inventions anyway without a single care in the world. He led them through tunnels. To see the outside world. Just to see nothing but a barren, destroyed wasteland. The first words she thought were "the end of the world". It certainly felt like it. The group was split up. Himiko felt so angry and frustrated at the current situation they were stuck in. She just wanted it to be all over. It didn't. Kaito had apparently died. A soldier. Warrior. Martyr. His jacket sleeve sticking out of the compressor after they had opened up the garage. Himiko felt such rage towards Kokichi who was supposedly in the Exisal. She wanted to use her magic to completely tear it apart. She didn't. And felt such fear and regret to find out that Kokichi died, not Kaito. Still, the Ultimate Astronaut was about to die. His blood trickled down his chin as he grinned at them. Maki was crying. As the boy blasted off into space, he was still smiling and beat Monokuma at his game. He had died before he was executed. Even in his last moments, he showed them all hope.  
  
Last chapter. That demon Tsumugi would come to justice. Himiko's blood boiled as she watched them all discover the secret room. The room where that coward Tsumugi hid to cover up her crime. Her lie. The one where Kaede had died for. Die. Die. Die. The redhead wanted the girl who controlled the whole thing to die. Her blood to spill as much as theirs did.  
  
"Nyeh," Himiko yawned, "Die."  
  
Die, Tsumugi. The girl on the screen just giggled as her appearance disappeared, just to be replaced by a blonde girl they all recognized as Junko Enoshima. The girl laughed and changed her appearance over and over, taunting them. Shuichi looked so frazzled by the truth. His eyes had bags under them, he just looked like giving up. Kiibo stepped in, saving them all from the claws of despair. He was the Ultimate Hope Robot after all. A messiah of some sort. Kiibo was a beacon that led them to greatness. He shone oh so brightly. Kiibo grinned at them as he then gained blue eyes. The rest of the events crashed into her like a fast truck. Kiibo destroyed the school as they ducked for cover. Tsumugi and Monokuma, to her own delight, was crushed by a large rock. A smile outstretched across the little mage's face. She watched the end where they all talked and looked towards the glowing sky.  
  
It was all over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry. This took me a while. I started pouring more effort into this story as I realized I was neglecting it more than my other work. But this arc/part is fucking finally over. This is probably the longest chapter. Agh. Moving on to our next arc/part. Hope you liked this chapter.


	12. Meeting | All | Part One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took such a long time. Ye. Sorry.

Tsumugi skipped down the halls and twirled around.

"I feel so much better," she said, "What should I do now...?"

"Shirogane-san! It's not safe for you to just walk around like that!" a woman exclaimed.

The bespectacled girl sighed and just continued to walk through the halls. She didn't like the silence enveloping her ears. She needed excitement. Terror. Something to watch play out before her. As she was led back to her room, an idea sparked in her head. That was it. Tsumugi grinned and giggled.

_'Is there something wrong with her?'_ the nurse thought, frazzled from the overload of work.

It was time for a class reunion.

* * *

Shuichi had eyebags. He hadn't been able to sleep well for the past few days. It was the nightmares, he suspected. After watching the show, he had nightmares. Nightmares of her dying. Her and everyone. It was so agonizing just watching her choking and dying right in front of his eyes. The girl limply struggled as he was frozen. He couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. He felt so damn useless just laying there on the ground like a piece of meat. Every single time he went through it, he would scream their names. Just hoping that they would make it back. To come back.

_"Shuichi!"_

_"AGGHHHHHH!"_

_'Come back...'_ he thought.

Each and every night he would wake up in cold sweat, praying that it would never happened again. The boy never got the chance to actually see his former classmates, but he held a firm grasp onto that small amount of hope. Why was he one of the survivors? He just want it all to be over with everyone alive.

Why did they have to die? What was Danganronpa to them in the first place? How were they brought into this in the first place?

_'Now that I think about it,'_ he thought to himself sleepily while recalling from the video tape, _'My personality was different back then. I seemed a bit over excessive.'_

Everything was just so... real. And it was so painful to watch classmates disappear right in front of them. Why? Why did people enjoy watching others suffer? He just didn't get it. Maybe this was probably

After observing the tape of his former self, he deducted that he was the obsessive, introverted, and an oddity of some sort. Probably an outcast? He wasn't too sure. Shuichi didn't even know his own current self at all.

"Saihara-san," a voice said outside of the door, "I have a message for you. Can I come in?"

"Come in," he said.

A man entered the room and placed a paper on his desk. He only said one thing.

"She said that it would be best if you came"

The man left. Shuichi grabbed the card and read it.

**Dear Shuichi Saihara,  
**

**Hello, dear protagonist! How does it feel to be the main character in your most favorite show? Of course you can't remember, but if you did, I know you would be hyped. I remember personally taking your interview, and you stuck out the most to me! I mean, you had a lot of potential despite wanting to be something that multiple past shows already have. Anyway, the thing I wanted to tell you is that we're having a little class reunion. I bet your little detective instincts are taking this in and is realizing what I'm talking about. That's right. Everyone's going to meet up again. Including your little Akamatsu and Momota. I hope you're glad, because after this you all will get your memories back. Just be sure, not everything is what is expected. Well, I'm off! I hope to see you there.**

**Sincerely, Tsumugi Shirogane**

Shuichi clutched the letter. Was it really true?! Could he see them again?! He wanted to. He wanted to apologize for how useless he was and how he couldn't save all of them. He had so many words to say and just wanted to convey them. Almost immediately, he called for the doctor and explained them the note.

"...where do I go?" he asked.

"Give us a minute, Saihara-kun," he said.

Shuichi watched as they talked to someone outside. His gaze trailed them as they walked inside and smiled at him. He couldn't help but feel at ease when they did.

It was comforting. A little.

"Ready to go?" they asked.

He nodded in response.

They put him on a wheelchair and started walking him somewhere. He could barely suppress a grin spreading on his face as they seemed to enter a completely different part of the building. The production of Danganronpa. Shuichi marveled at all the tech they passed by and entered a room. It was a weird sensation to him. Euphoria? He didn't really know. The room looked like a living room with couches and all. There were a circle of chairs set up in the middle of the yellow-white carpet. His eyes widened as he saw a girl with blonde hair sitting in a chair with one of those walkers next to her. The girl was seated next to another short boy in a wheelchair. She turned around.

"...Iruma-san," he breathed, "Hoshi-kun."

* * *

Miu wasn't the type to shut up when told to. But at the moment, she really didn't have a choice. She assumed that the reason she couldn't speak was because of the side effects of being in Danganronpa. She did even know why the fuck she signed up for Danganronpa. I mean, she'd rather stay out home and do something else like watching porn or something. The blonde just... didn't see why people would like it. She thought if she liked it, then no one else would sign up because she was so strange or some shit like that. It didn't really matter to her anyway. All she wanted to do was talk again. She wanted to hear her own voice again.

"Iruma-san"

It was just unfair. She wanted to fucking talk too.

_'Speak you piece of shit,'_ she thought to herself, _'You probably look so damn pathetic right now.'_

She just glanced at the nurse with a haughty glare saying _"What?"_

"Y-you have a letter," the nurse said, looking slightly perturbed.

_'Hah, that flat chested bitch looks so scared,'_ Miu thought as she took the letter, _'What the fuck is this about?'_

**Dear Miu Iruma,  
**

**Hey there! How are you doing? Oh right, you can't tell me because you know... you can't say anything Don't worry about it by the way. I've been informed that it's temporary, but it will last for a while. I remember that one time in your interview that you were pretty scared. Ha, surprised? That the great Miu Iruma was scared? Well no need to worry. It's all right. Moving on, what do you feel about your classmate's opinion about you? Surprised they would say that right after you left? I wouldn't be. Do you really want to see them again? I would love to see you again with the others. And a way to do that is by attending our little get together! I wish to see you there as well!**

**Sincerely, Tsumugi Shirogane**

The blonde crushed the letter in her palm as her ice blue eyes glared at the piece of paper. She started to frantically wave at the nurse next to her who turned to face her. Miu grew annoyed as she spread her arms and clapped loudly.

"Do you need something?" the woman asked.

Miu shot the "are you fucking kidding me?" face towards the woman and flipped off the woman. She then showed her the letter. In which the woman nodded and pushed her walker with wheels towards her. Miu gripped the handles and started to walk as the woman held her back carefully. Her legs ached and groaned as they weren't quite back to normal yet. As the girl was led through an area with technology that made her brain spin.

_'Holy shit!'_ she thought as a grin spread across her face, _'This is some ultra high tech! Fuck, I could do so much shit with this!'_

Her eyes were glued on all of the technical items as drool was dribbling down her mouth. Sadly, Miu was led away into a room that looked more normal than any other room in the building. Agh, she should've learned how to use the brakes on a walker. Fuck... If she ever saw someone's house, she would surely see a room similar to the one she entered at the moment.

_'Boring as fuck,'_ she thought as she wiped her mouth, _'This room is so damn bland.'_

The only difference was that there was a circle of chairs in the middle of the room. The nurse told her to stay in the room as she seated Miu into her chair. She sat there with boredom while picking her nails to pass the time.

_'Fuck,'_ she thought, _'When will someone get here? Boring as hell.'_

Not even a few minutes later, she heard some wheels behind her. As Miu turned around, she saw a short boy in a wheelchair. She recognized him as Ryoma Hoshi. The blonde waved to him as he held up a feeble hand and waved back. The man behind him stopped pushing him, moved a chair next to her, and pushed Ryoma next to her. As the man told him to wait for the others, he left. Ryoma turned to her and waved again.

"How are you doing?" he asked tiredly.

Miu didn't know what to do since she couldn't talk, so she waved some hand signs.

"You... can't talk?" the boy asked, "Is it a side effect?"

She shrugged. That's when she heard something else behind her and turned around.

"Iruma-san. Hoshi-kun," the boy said.

Miu did very much remember Shuichi Saihara. The boy who figured out the function of the virtual world.

"Hey, Saihara," Ryoma greeted.

Shuichi was seated in a wheelchair next to Miu. She just grinned and waved at him.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Shuichi asked her.

Miu just face palmed as Ryoma answered for her.

* * *

Ryoma wasn't the biggest fan of hospitals. Oh well, it was better than his time in prison. Or rather, his virtual time in prison which was still a bad experience itself. It didn't really matter anymore and it was fake. It just left a bitter taste in his mouth just to remember all that happened. It also made him more tired. Which made him more irritated. Ryoma didn't like how his body would just tell him to go to sleep because of how easily tired it got. It was so annoying how he could even control his own body anymore. He couldn't tell it what to do when he wanted it to. What was his life like? Was it this miserable? At least in prison, he could do things within the restrictions whenever he wanted. Now he couldn't. That was some fabulous bull right there for him. He could just applaud right then and there.

Life is amazing...

just kidding.

Honestly, he didn't know what exactly was wrong with his body besides that he wouldn't be able to get around like he used to. His life wasn't going to be the same anymore. Did that mean he couldn't play tennis anymore? That was the worst of it. He thought it was already plain bad he couldn't move around, but now he couldn't play tennis either. What the heck. Ryoma would've preferred prison over this. He just wanted to move again like all normal people could. He was just one of those unlucky people out there in the world. The world was unfair, and he knew that.

"Hoshi-kun," a man said, walking through the door.

The man handed him a letter which Ryoma took with shaking hands. Well whoopdie freaking doo, his hands were shaking too.

"Tell me if you want to go," the man said.

"Go where?" Ryoma asked him.

The man just gestured towards the paper, "Read it and you'll find out."

**Dear Ryoma Hoshi,  
**

**Hey there!~ How are you doing? Not well I suppose. Surprised? You used to be the fastest of the whole class, even avoiding Gokuhara-kun! But now you can't even move at all. But it's okay, as long as you're alive! I bet it feels real lonely just sitting there, not able to do anything. Do you fall asleep a lot too? I never got to figure that out. I hope you get better soon, you know. It would be sad to see you go, you know? But before this letter ends, I've got something to tell you. Do you wanna see your classmates before you go? I bet you do! All you have to do is attend the little "reunion" we'll be having. Just ask the person who gave you this letter. Well, hope to see you there, Hoshi-kun!**

**Sincerely, Tsumugi Shirogane**

Ryoma gripped the letter as he breathed shakily. The man next to him tilted his head as Ryoma nodded eagerly. He would get to see all his old classmates again. The bigger male put him onto his wheelchair and started walking him somewhere. It kind of gave Ryoma that felling of excitement. He was anticipating something interesting. The ex-Ultimate Tennis Player had been cooped up in his room for so long, he was dying to get out and explore or discover something.

"Are you excited?" the man pushing him asked.

Ryoma nodded in order to conserve energy. He wanted to be able to talk to them. To interact with them. To see them for as long as he could live.

The small boy looked at the high tech in one room they passed through. This must've been the production section of Danganronpa then. He was wheeled in when he saw a blonde girl with two strands of her on the top of her head. The girl turned around as he recognized her as Miu Iruma, the ex-Ultimate Inventor. She waved at him. He prepared himself for a barrage of profanities and insults, but nothing came. She waved at him as he hesitantly waved back.

_'What's wrong with her?'_ he thought.

The wheelchair got pushed up next to her after the man who took him there removed a chair. He then waved at her again.

"How are you doing?" Ryoma asked.

Miu just waved her hands around frantically with strange facial expressions.

"You... can't talk?" he asked, "Is it a side effect?"

The girl just shrugged. Then, he heard something from behind them

"Iruma-san. Hoshi-kun," a voice said said.

Ryoma recognized his voice as Shuichi Saihara, the ex-Ultimate Detective.

"Hey, Saihara," Ryoma greeted.

Shuichi was seated in a wheelchair next to Miu. The blonde smiled at him and waved at him as well.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Shuichi asked Miu.

Miu face palmed as Ryoma took the reigns of the situation.

"She can't talk," he said.

"Huh?" Shuichi asked, "But why?"

"We won't know until we get our memories back," Ryoma said, "I have Myasthenia Gravis. Everything I do drains my energy. Who knows how long I have left."

"That's terrible!" Shuichi exclaimed.

"Heh, couldn't tell?" the smaller male said, "Who knows what's happened to all of us. Iruma can't talk. I can't move. Dunno what you're up to, but you seem... different."

"Different?" the boy asked, "In what way?"

The frail male shrugged, "Your aura, personality, and just your overall demeanor. They just seem different."

The ex-Ultimate Inventor started making more motional gestures as Shuichi laughed. Miu turned red and flipped him off. Ryoma sighed and laid backwards. All he had to do now was wait.

"Get away from me!"

The three of them turned around after hearing some sort of strange noise behind them.

* * *

Maki literally no idea what she was going to do after she got out of this shit hole. As much as she wanted to sue this place for making her play such a game, she was told that apparently she was the one to sign up for Danganronpa. What? The red eyed girl was confused. Why the hell would she want to sign up for something like this. She was 99% positive that she would never do something like this. But, she still was deciding this off of her current memory and not the one she used to possess. She sighed. Maki just wanted to get out of this dump as soon as possible, or she would take a dump on this place.

_'When can I leave? I'm sure everyone already left'_

Her instincts sharpened as someone opened the door. The brunette's senses went on alert, and she stiffened.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"Please don't give me that sass," the nurse sighed, "I'm here to deliver this. Call me if you say 'yes'."

_'What, am I getting married?'_ Maki thought sarcastically.

**Dear Maki Harukawa,  
**

**Not feeling so well? What's the gut feeling you have right now? How's your physical state? I bet you're probably wondering why you're here in the first place, huh? Well, the memories will tell you after getting them back. Sorry for the guards at the door, I know not to underestimate your artificial assassin thinking, as you could escape whenever you wanted to. Take the compliment! Getting back to the main point, the only reason why I'm writing you a letter right now is to inform you that we're all going to get together again. Yeah, that's right. If you don't want to see me, that's fine. But you should probably see your poor Momota. Hope to see you there. OWO**

**Sincerely, Tsumugi Shirogane**

Maki eyed the little OWO face as she felt angry. Was Tsumugi mocking her or something? She knew that Maki felt the most murderous intent towards her. Probably the only one with murderous intent based on experience.

"I want to go," Maki growled, "And I'm going to rip her throat out when I get there too."

The brunette was placed onto her wheelchair. Maki eyed the open cuffs where her wrists and ankles were.

"Shirogane told us to do this," the nurse said, "Sorry."

"I'm going to sue this place," the ex-Ultimate Assassin spoke.

"Sorry, you can't," the nurse said, "It was in the contract."

_'Screw the contract,'_ Maki thought as she was rolled off, _'What the hell does Shirogane want anyway? She just makes lives miserable.'_

The girl was so absorbed into her thoughts as she didn't notice the nurse pushing her stop until a few seconds later.

"Something wrong?" Maki asked.

"Those two patients," the nurse breathed, "They aren't supposed to be near each other."

Maki just turned to see Himiko in a wheelchair and another girl further ahead. The other girl had longer black hair. She was being led by a woman who seemed to be trying to start up a conversation. The red eyed girl just sat and watched as Himiko called out a name she certainly remembered.

"Tenko!"

Ah, Tenko. The feminist who practiced her Neo-Aikido on fellow male classmates. From what Maki could recall, Tenko would never shout, hurt, or lay a single finger on a girl. This time, it was different.

Tenko turned around and her eyes widened with fear.

"Himiko-ch--?" the girl asked, "H-hi..."

She was hesitating, Maki noticed. Tenko would always jump at the opportunity to be with Himiko. It was different now. Tenko looked conflicted and hesitant. Himiko hadn't noticed.

"Tenko!" Himiko exclaimed, "It's so great to see you!"

The other girl just laughed nervously, "It's great to see you too!"

"You wanna walk there together?" Himiko asked, rolling forward and away from her frozen nurse.

"Hey, you stupid nurse!" Maki shouted, "Move!"

The nurse began to walk forward to grab Himiko's wheelchair. Tenko's nurse stood in front of her.

"Get away from me!" Tenko shouted.

Himiko faltered and stopped. Maki bit her nail, a habit she had picked up in her artificial behavior.

_'This isn't good,'_ she thought.

* * *

Himiko thought that this was the most boring hospital she had ever probably been to. Same old routine. Same old people. Same old room and bed. She just wanted to leave already.

"Nyeh, can I go home?" Himiko asked for about the hundredth time that day.

"Sadly, not today, Yumeno-san," her nurse replied, "You're still stuck in this awful 'prison'."

Miss Hara was a nice lady in Himiko's opinion. The only thing that was different from the rest of the hospital. She was interesting. At least Himiko had something to invest her time and interest in.

"Aw..." the red haired girl sighed, "I don't wanna..."

The woman just smiled at her, "Sorry, Yumeno-san. This isn't up to me. It's procedures we have to follow for your own safety. I know the staff here might seem terrible at first, but it's because they have to. Hang in there, okay?"

"Okay..." Himiko pouted.

Himiko couldn't wait to leave. She would use her teleporting magic, but that would just be rude. Walking out on people who took care of her? Not cool. The reason why she was so weak was due to lack of mana. There wasn't much mana in the air either, so she couldn't take in much to use high level spells a mage like she could. If she could, this place would've been reduced to smithereens the second she looked at it.

_'Nyeh, I just wanna leave...'_ the girl thought, _'It's like a dungeon.'_

"Yumeno-san," Miss Hara said, "You have a letter."

Himiko just sighed, "Do I have to...?"

"Sorry, I know you don't want to, but this is private," the woman said, "I can't read it out loud."

"Fine," the smaller girl groaned, taking the letter.

Her eyes immediately widened at the sight of the letter.

**Dear Himiko Yumeno,  
**

**Are you bored? I had a feeling since your attention and attitude shifted from one thing to another from what I can remember. It was quite a hassle and bother to worry about, but I eventually accustomed to your ways! It's just the natural way you behave! I understand you might be mad at me right now, or it "takes to much energy" to get angry at me. I'm sorry that you had to go through such things. Now you have to sit and wait around here in boredom. If only you could do some magic... is there not enough mana in the air? Well, that's too bad. Or maybe you need to be cheered up. There's an opportunity for that! We're gonna have a reunion soon! Yeah, you'll see Chabashira and Yonaga again! Hope to see you.**

**Sincerely, Tsumugi Shirogane**

"Sh-Shirogane?" Himiko stammered, "She sent me this?"

Miss Hara nodded, "She told all the staff to deliver these directly to you and the rest of your classmates. If you say 'yes', we will take you there. These are private, so you won't have to worry about exposed content. That would never happen here."

_'So they were told to take us there if we say "yes", then we have to go,'_ Himiko thought grimly.

"I wanna go," the red head said, "I want to see them."

_'I wanna see Angie and tell her how much I appreciated her for being there for me,'_ Himiko thought, _'And I want to see Tenko... and apologize for my behavior and thank her for almost everything. And defending me when Angie didn't...'_

Miss Hara began to roll Himiko through the halls, passing several doors. Up ahead was a room she didn't recognize. But also up ahead of her was a girl. She had long, dark hair. The girl up ahead giggled softly with the nurse caring for her. It was faint, but Himiko knew it was Tenko's voice.

"Tenko!" Himiko shouted giddily.

"Himiko-ch--?" Tenko asked, "H-hi...?"

The ex-Ultimate Magician just smiled, "Tenko! It's so great to see you!"

The taller girl smiled, "It's great to see you too!"

"You wanna walk there together?" Himiko asked, rolling her wheelchair forward.

"Hey, you stupid nurse! Move!" someone behind Himiko yelled.

The little mage didn't know what to do when Miss Hara seized her wheelchair, and the other nurse blocked Himiko from reaching Tenko. What was going on?

"Get away from me!" Tenko shouted at her.

Himiko froze. What? She was so confused. Was Tenko talking to her? Or was she just overthinking things? What was happening? Why was Tenko scared of her?

_'Tenko...'_ she thought, _'Wait... come back...'_

She struggled against Miss Hara's strength, who was holding her wheelchair back. Tenko just grew increasingly agitated.

"Why...?" Himiko asked.

Tenko just looked to the side, ashamed, "Not now, Himiko. I have to... 'adjust'. I'm just... uneasy, that's all!"

"But--!" Himiko exclaimed.

"Hey, let's chill out and go over this later"

Himiko turned around to see the green haired boy, Rantaro Amami.

"Yo"

* * *

Tenko was just really tired and distraught. Something she didn't normally feel going by her memory. Was it because she was in this drab and miserable place? Or was it because she couldn't sleep? It was more of an internal feeling she got when she thought more and more about Himiko.

Of course Tenko cared about her. Of course she wanted to protect her. Of course she showed overwhelming amounts of love that she couldn't express verbally. She still did all these things. The only thing was that Himiko just kept pushing her away. Not even caring until after she died. But why was that? Why? That was just one of the big questions she had mixed in with her doubt.

"Chabashira-san. Chabashira-san."

She shook out of her trance and looked up, "Y-yes?!"

A nurse with a clipboard stood over her with a worried expression that made her stomach flip over and over. Tenko was just having the jitters, that was all.

"Are you okay?" the nurse asked, "You've been jumpy all morning."

The girl just laughed, "I'm just a bit on edge today. It's probably my... Aikido instinct!"

The nurse just nodded and jotted a few notes down into her clipboard. Tenko sighed. Nothing to worry about! It was going to be just fine.

"Chabashira-san," her nurse said, "You have a letter. If you want to go, then just tell me and I'll take you there."

"Ah. Okay!" she said.

Maybe she would finally be able to get out of this place. Just stretch and relax. She figured she must've also fought too much with her fighting skills in the real world, so she got some bruises here and there. Ah, who was foolish enough to mess with her? Probably some men picking on innocent girls as usual.

Tenko took the letter and almost choked on her spit while looking at it.

**Dear Tenko Chabashira,  
**

**How are you doing on this fine day? Well, I hope. Still believe in defending women and fighting all the "male degenerates" out there? Well, good to see that you haven't changed at all. One question though: even if I was the Mastermind and put you through this killing game, would you defend me just because I'm a girl? Hm, an interesting question indeed. It's just, I'm surprised you still believe in your "fellow females" when the one you've been dying to get along with for a long time has shunned you. Ah, but I'm here to ask you to attend our little gathering! The whole class is getting together again, and I hope to see you! You'll see Himiko too!  
**

**Sincerely, Tsumugi Shirogane**

Tenko crinkled the paper as her stomach began to twist into several knots. She didn't know what to say. It was just... unsettling? Refreshing? She couldn't really tell. A twist of several emotions settled at the bottom of her stomach. Should she go? She didn't know.

_'I should at least... thank Akamatsu-chan for saving us,'_ Tenko thought, _'And Saihara-kun.'_

"I think I'll go," Tenko stuttered, "I want to see those who prevailed through this hardship with me!"

"Nice wording," her nurse commented, "Well, do you want your walker or cane?"

"I think I'll be fine without them," Tenko said, "I can walk."

The nurse smiled, "Alright then. Shall we go?"

"N-now?" Tenko asked, "Right now?"

"Yep," the nurse said, "Let's go."

Tenko smiled strangely as the nurse led her carefully and slowly out the door. Along the long and quiet halls, Tenko saw the nurse trying to strike up a conversation with her.

"So... are you excited?" the nurse asked.

The girl didn't know what to say, so she just shrugged. The nurse just smiled and laughed nervously.

"I don't know," Tenko said, "I'm excited but... scared."

The nurse looked on, "Why? Don't you want to see them again?"

Tenko hesitated and started speaking at the same time as the nurse on accident.

"I don't--"

"Is it because--?"

They both stopped.

"Sorry," the nurse apologized.

"It's fine--" Tenko started.

"Tenko!"

The girl whose name was called turned around. Her stomach dropped into a bottomless pit where it felt like there was nothing but this painful tingly feeling. It was carving out her insides as her head felt strange, sending jolts to the rest of her body. Her eyes instinctively widened.

"Himiko-ch--?" the girl asked, "H-hi...?"

Tenko felt a little happy as Himiko smiled, "Tenko! It's so great to see you!"

The taller girl smiled, "It's great to see you too!"

"You wanna walk there together?" Himiko asked, rolling her wheelchair towards her.

Tenko froze. She was confused and didn't know what to do. She was just... stunned. What should she do? What should she say? What? What? What?!

"Hey, you stupid nurse! Move!" a voice yelled.

The nurse behind Himiko ran up and blocked Tenko's view of her. Her own nurse blocked Himiko from seeing her. Panic seized her body as she didn't know what to do or say.

"Get away from me!" Tenko shouted at her nurse.

But the panic and fear was so real, Tenko didn't know who she was talking to. At this point, she was so confused and distraught, she was almost certain she had yelled at Himiko. Had she? I couldn't be... No way. She was scared of Himiko? T

The girl looked at the ex-Ultimate Magician who was struggling against her nurse holding her back. Tenko felt her heart squeeze at the sight of Himiko's face. It was so painful. Emotions just flashed through her body.

_**'You're scared of her'** _

_'I am not scared of her!'_ Tenko thought, _'I would never!'_

_**'Then why are you shaking?'** _

Why was she? Tenko knew: she was truly the most cruel being on Earth.

"Why...?" Himiko asked her with a heartbroken expression which crushed Tenko.

"Not now, Himiko. I have to... 'adjust'. I'm just... uneasy, that's all!" Tenko laughed nervously.

"But--!" Himiko started to say.

"Hey, let's chill out and go over this later"

It was a male's voice. Tenko's instincts went on alert as she relaxed seeing it was someone she could trust, despite his looks. It was the one and only, Rantaro Amami.

"Yo," he said.

"You..." Tenko said, "Amami-kun...?"

He just smiled and waved at them, "Nice to see you all again. But I didn't expect to see you all fighting, that is."

Ah, that cool and aloof demeanor of his that he spread. Always calm. Always alert. Always knowing what was best. Always doing and knowing what was best for the majority.

"Me neither," said another cool voice, "You two were particularly close."

"Harukawa-san..." Tenko whispered.

"How about we all cool down," Rantaro suggested, "And go to where we're supposed to go."

"That's a great idea," Tenko's nurse said, "Chabashira-san. Let's go."

She nodded and trailed after her. Tenko did her best to shut out Himiko's cries, and Maki and Rantaro's soothing words.

* * *

Life is really messed up, Rantaro concluded. Well, he should've known in the first place. Honestly, he was just tripping balls at the fact that he was a survivor and he died first. How laughable. According to several hospital staff, it caused an uproar in the media. Fans were incredibly angry.

_'I'm surprised I'm that popular,'_ he thought, _'And I died first.'_

What a major rip. Rantaro didn't really have an opinion on what to think about Danganronpa, but if he tried really hard to recall. Now, he would always forget names, faces, or the topic that he and another person would be conversing about. There always be this really weird buzzing noise in his head that would just make him blank out and stare into space like the idiot he was. When someone told him to try to remember over and over again, a weird sloshing sound would resonate throughout his head and he would remember whatever he had just forgot. Or it would never work and he wouldn't remember.

Right now, he was being taught to remember whose name was which by a therapist. The man would hold pictures of his classmates in front of Rantaro, and Rantaro would have to try and remember their name.

"Do you remember who this person is?" the man asked.

Rantaro squinted at the picture of the tall boy with broad shoulders. He wore a brown suit, glasses, and had dark green, curly hair.

"Uh..." He mumbled, "I think it was..."

B L O O P

"Gokuhara," Rantaro said, "Gokuhara, Gonta. Right?"

The man nodded, "Correct."

Rantaro didn't show it, but he smiled under his bangs. He was slightly proud of himself for remembering immediately. Most of the pictures he had been shown, had not popped up in his memory. His reaction was him being a bit sheepish and guilty, but he would recover from that experience quickly. He was just glad he could remember this time.

"Ah..." he sighed, "I'm glad..."

The man smiled, "Okay, moving on... oh. Let me get the door first."

Rantaro watched as the man walked towards the door. The boy began to twiddle his fingers as he glanced from the door to his hands. He was calm. Perfectly calm. But if he kept thinking about it that way, he would get even more nervous. Ah, how he hated that feeling. He assumed it was due to the facts he was getting more on edge lately. Rantaro had recurring nightmares of the same things over and over again. Doors locking. People screaming. And the most vivid part of his dream: someone trying to grab him, and yelling his name.

**_"Amami!"_ **

It was scary.

"Amami-kun," his therapist said, handing him a paper, "You have a letter. Tell me if you want to go."

"Wait, what?" he asked, "I don't remember asking for any mail--"

"This is from one of the top producers," the man said, "Shirogane."

"Shiro... gane...?" Amami murmured, "Ah-- THE MASTERMIND!"

He snatched the letter faster than the weave of the nurse in the other room.

**Dear Rantaro Amami,  
**

**Is your head okay? I heard that the side effects were really bad... I heard you can hardly remember anything now and then. That's so sad, I'm so sorry. :( Well, I hope you get better. Do you remember me? I hope you did. If you do, does the name Kiwa Miura ring a bell? If it does, let me know. :) Besides that, I honestly hope your memory gets better as time goes on. Best not to go crazy, okay? Let's be glad it wasn't as serious. I was honestly really worried about it when I heard it, considering the last game. That's besides the point now. Well, we're all having a class reunion! I hope to see you there, even if you weren't around long. See you!**

**From, Tsumugi Shirogane**

The first thing that popped into his mind was a face. It was blurry, but all he could remember was glowing green eyes and bright red hair. That's it. It was a girl. He couldn't remember anything else after that. Somebody he... he couldn't exactly remember.

And Shirogane. He was getting mixed signals from his message. Very weird and strange. Should he even see them? He couldn't even remember their faces or names clearly. Rantaro didn't even get to know them that well. Should he...? Was it even right?

_'Do I even know them that well?'_ he thought, _'Should I...?'_

He pictured all of his classmates as hard as he could in his mind. He was still decided whether to go or not.

"Well, Amami-kun?" his therpaist asked, "How about it."

He just forced a grin, "All about it."

As he hobbled outside with a cane, he thought to himself. What if they didn't remember him. What if he wasn't important? What if he wasn't all that important?

_'I think I'm going to regret this,'_ he thought, _'Very much. How about remembering their names? Uh... Akamtasu... Saihara... ah... this is gonna take me a while.'_

"Are you excited, Amami-kun?" his therapist asked.

B U Z Z

"For what?" he asked.

"Meeting the others," his therapist bluntly stated.

"H-hah...?" he asked, "What are you talking about? Who?"

Wait, wait, wait. He was confused. Where were the two of them going? What was he talking about? Wait, did he even know this guy?

The man sighed, "Remember? Class reunion?"

"...no?" Rantaro answered, "No...?"

"Danganronpa?" the man continued.

"Uh..." the green haired male murmured.

"Tsumugi Shirogane?"

B L O O P

"Ah," he exclaimed, "I remember know..."

"What a relief," the therapist sighed.

"Hey, you stupid nurse! Move!"

Rantaro jerked his head towards the sound of a voice piercing through the silence. It was a nurse pushing what he thought to be a girl in a wheelchair. He started to hobble forward quickly and looked at the girl's face.

"Himi...?" he muttered, "No... Ha-Haru. Harukawa."

"Amami-kun," she murmured, "I haven't seen you in a while."

"Ah, me neither," he admitted, "My memory is pretty messed up right now."

She nodded, "Ah, it's okay. But..."

The girl gestured forward for him to see two other girls, one being pushed in a wheelchair and another with a walker while being led by a nurse. They seemed to be talking to one another. One had a squeaky voice which he faintly could remember. The other girl up ahead looked slightly familiar as well.

_'Ah, their names, their names, their names,'_ he thought, _'I can't remember them...'_

"We have to stop them," the nurse pushing Maki said.

"Get away from me!" the walker girl shouted.

The therapist behind Rantaro gasped, "Wait, isn't that--"

Maki bit her nail as the girl up ahead looked more agitated. The therapist and nurse behind and beside him were talking, planning out something.

"They're not supposed to bump into each other!"

"Why...?" Wheelchair girl asked.

Walker girl just gained a crushed expression.

"Not now, Himiko. I have to... 'adjust'. I'm just... uneasy, that's all!" Walker girl laughed nervously.

"We need to do something," Maki insisted.

Rantaro took a deep breath. Ah, after this he probably would want to die of embarrassment.

"But--!" Wheelchair girl cried out.

"Hey, let's chill out and go over this later"

_'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIDON'TEVENKNOWTHEIRNAMESSSS'_ he thought as his face was perfectly calm.

"Yo," he said.

"You..." Tenko said, "Amami-kun...?"

He just smiled and waved at them, "Nice to see you all again. But I didn't expect to see you all fighting, that is."

Oh no. He was making up crap and lying to himself. He was definitely screwed.

"Me neither," said another cool voice, "You two were particularly close."

_' Thank youu_' he thought.

"Harukawa-san..." Walker girl whispered.

"How about we all cool down," Rantaro said through his teeth, "And go to where we're supposed to go."

"That's a great idea," Walker girl's nurse said, "Chabashira-san. Let's go."

He watched as Maki rolled up to Wheelchair girl slowly, as if she didn't have the energy.

"It'll be alright," Rantaro said, "It's fine."

"No..." Wheelchair girl whimpered, "Tenko! Tenko!"

"Stop calling Chabashira's name, and let's just go to the meeting spot," Maki interrupted, "We'll see everyone including Chabashira. Okay?"

"O-okay," Wheelchair girl sniffled.

"Wait, so Walker girl's names is Chabashira, right?" Rantaro asked.

The two of them looked at him.

"What?"

"Yes?" Maki asked, "This is Yumeno."

"Yu-yumeno-san?" he said, "I think I remember."

"Whoa. Is it that bad?" Maki asked.

"Yeah, my memory is pretty shitty," he answered.

"No cursing please," Maki's nurse whispered.

"Why is everyone crowding the hallway?"

* * *

Gonta thought he was really stupid for just letting people slip away like that. When he, a big and strong person, could save them. Ah, he was so stupid! Agh! He was just so... disappointed with himself.

He thought of himself to be a total failure. Was he? He didn't know.

_'Gonta... Gonta doesn't know what to do,'_ he thought, _'My tummy is always hurting and... Gonta is just so confused and has no clue what to do. Gonta is so... weak.'_

Everyday, he would just sit there. Doing nothing. Just trying to handle all of the new emotions inside of him. Some that he didn't remember ever feeling that just appeared. It was bliss. Euphoria. Some sort of awakening within the depths of his soul. A discombobulated mess that he didn't know how to clean up. It was just so messed up.

"Gokuhara-kun," the nurse said, "Is everything okay?"

"No..." he murmured, "Gonta just... doesn't know what to do."

The woman sighed and pat his shoulder comfortingly, "It'll be alright, Gokuhara-kun. I promise."

"Okay," he whimpered.

No, he sounded so much like a _weakling_ right now... It was pathetic. So pathetic.

'Will it be all okay for Gonta and the others?' he thought.

"Gokuhara-kun," the nurse said, "You have a letter. Please tell me if you desire to go."

"Gonta go where?" the big male asked, "Where?"

The nurse just gently patted his hands and handed him the letter. Gonta gingerly held the piece of paper and started to scan the paper carefully.

**Dear Gonta Gokuhara,  
**

**It's nice to talk to you again! Well, I mean, indirectly since I'm writing to you I guess. Ah, I still recall the days we all had fun together. You were nice to everyone, a trait I really admired about you. Unlike you, I always lied. In a disguise, always hiding my true feelings and intentions in contrast to you. But when you were watching the show, I heard you have a breakdown. It seems your memories wanted to surface again. And because of that, it was conflicting with your artificial kind nature. Or is it artificial...? No matter. Getting back on track, the main thing I'm delivering this letter to you is to inform you that we'll all be able to see each other again. You can give your apologies if you wish. I'll be waiting.  
**

**Sincerely, Tsumugi Shirogane**

"Gonta... gets to see them again?" he murmured, "For real?"

"For realzies," the nurse said, smiling, "So, do you want to go?"

"Yes! Yes!" he cried aloud.

The woman giggled, "Hold on. I need to put these back, so wait here, alright?"

He nodded quietly as she shuffled away to put her boxes elsewhere. Gonta was just quiet. And nervous.

_'Will friends be happy to see Gonta?'_ he thought, _'Or will they be mad at Gonta? Gonta remember. That's why Gonta try and save them! Gonta sorry, friends! Gonta is so sorry!'_

"Gokuhara-kun," the nurse said, making his snap back to attention, "Let's go."

He nodded and grabbed his walker. The nurse was kind enough to be able to handle his big figure, with his muscles and all. And Gonta was grateful for that, yes he was.

"Gokuhara-kun," she said, "Are you excited?"

"Gonta is very excited to see friends and classmates again!" he exclaimed.

The woman smiled at him, "I'm glad to hear that. Sorry we aren't as professional as you thought. There is only so much our staff can do."

"How did... Gonta and friends end up here?" he asked.

Her eyes turned sad, "It's a long process. Something some regret and others do not."

"What does nurse lady mean?" he asked.

She just giggled, "Nothing, nothing! Nothing..."

"Did you do... Danganronpa?" he asked.

"Number 30," she said, "Ultimate Dermatologist. One of the most horrifying experiences of my life."

"You... part of Danganronpa?" Gonta asked while pushing his walker.

"Yep," she said, "And a survivor too. I'll just... never forget what I experienced there. It was **horrifying**."

Gonta gulped as they started walking through a hallway where there was inaudible shouting up ahead.

"What's going on?" his nurse asked.

They continued to walk forward to see six other people there.

"Why is everyone crowding the hallway?" his nurse asked.

"There was a commotion," one male said, "But don't worry, Amami-kun over here took care of it."

"Amami...?" Gonta murmured.

"Gokuhara!" two girl shouted.

"H-Harukawa-san, Yumeno-san," he said.

"It's great to see you," the brunette said.

"G-Gokuhara!" Yumeno kep saying out of excitement.

"How about we get to where we need to go, and then celebrate?" a different nurse asked.

"Good idea"

They passed a tech room and entered a door. That's when they reached the room with a huge commotion going on inside.

"Grrrreat to see you!" the purple haired boy shouted at the furious blonde.

One male with long hair sat awkwardly to the side, distanced apart from an unfamiliar face.

"Everyone sit down!" a guy with dark purple hair and a goatee commanded.

Almost everyone else was there.


	13. Meeting | All | Part Two

Great, the world could just explode any minute now. Because Kaito thought his brain just did.

_'Everything just feels surreal. Geez,'_ he thought, _'Danganronpa is a TV show which people watch. We live, we die. That's so fucking sick!'_

He began to lean back onto the bed, relaxing. Kaito just needed to unwind and relax. He just needed to let go of all the negative things. That's right, he didn't have time to think so negatively. All those thoughts would just slow him down and cloud his judgment.

_'My strength is better nowadays, I guess it's because all of that sickness was fake or something,'_ he thought, _'Though, it's not all gone. My chest hurts, and some of his muscles and body parts were sometimes sore. How much of everything was fake? How much do I even know? Well, I'll just have to keep on looking forward to the future, no matter what comes at me!'_

Yes, he had been told that his personality might have been a bit annoying at times, but he couldn't help it. It was the best way to keep a bright mind in a dark situation. He could not let the depressing atmosphere get to him and eat him alive. That would just be awful.

"Did you eat breakfast?" the doctor asked him.

"Yep!" he exclaimed, "And it was mighty tasty, even though I've been eating it for the past week!"

"Really?" he asked, "I'm surprised since in my opinion..." his voice turned into a hushed whisper, "They taste like crap."

Kaito barked out a laugh, "Yeah, but you get used to it after eating it for a long time!"

He began to cough as he pounded his chest with a fist. He needed a breather. A break. Or, that's what he felt like. It was kinda weird in his opinion.

"Are you okay, Momota-san?" the man asked.

"Yeah," Kaito coughed, "Just a side effect I guess."

The doctor just squinted worriedly at him. Kaito was confused at the doctor's stare. Did it mean something? He didn't know.

"Ah! I have something!" a girl at the door squeaked.

The doctor approached the shy female who handed the man the paper. The doctor took one glance at it and immediately began to approach Kaito. Wait, him? What was this all about?

"What is it?" the ex-Ultimate Astronaut asked nervously.

"Just... tell me if you want to go," the man said.

_'Hah...?'_

The purple-haired male opened up the letter and began reading the inside.

**Dear Kaito Momota,  
**

**Are your spirits high up in the air just like your dreams to go to space? Are they as high as your state back then when I interviewed you? Certainly, hope not. That would just be terrible. In my honest opinion, you had a much better demeanor and personality before the memory wipe. Hey, I'm not trying to be offensive but to just put in my opinion. I know you'll get angry because I'm the "Mastermind" or whatever, but you'll see what I mean very soon. Putting all my thoughts aside, why don't we talk about yours? Missing Saihara and Harukawa? Maybe wanting to talk to old classmates when you didn't have the chance to? Well, you do now, with our little class reunion. Hope to see you!**

**From, Tsumugi Shirogane**

"Her?!" Kaito shouted, causing him to wheeze.

"Momota-san! Are you okay?!" his doctor asked.

"Fine," he coughed, "Just a little sore in the chest. Nothing to worry about!"

The man nodded, "So what do you say about the letter?"

Kaito stared at the letter, "I think I'll go..."

_'I can see Maki Roll, Saihara the Sidekick, and Akamatsu! There's a lot of people I want to talk to too! And maybe some explanations, especially Ouma!'_ he thought, _'It'll be alright!'_

"Great!" his doctor said, "How about we get going right now."

"Wait, now?" Kaito asked.

The man nodded. It was strange, was this nervousness Kaito felt? Why? It wasn't fear, no. He wasn't scared, but he felt... giddy. He was happy. He wanted to see them again. Hug them and thank them for all they did. Man, this feeling was really strange in his stomach.

Kaito sat down in a wheelchair as the doctor opened the door and started to push him out. They began to stroll down some hallways as the purple-haired boy couldn't help but feel excited. He felt oh so happy that he would be able to see them again.

"Hiyori-san, is that you?" his doctor asked.

Kaito snapped out of his thoughts as he saw a woman turn around and face him and the other guy. He was confused. Why were they stopping? Did this doctor know that woman?

"Hai," the woman answered, "I'm taking this young man to the room for the Danganronpa 53 participants."

"Ah, I was headed that way too," his doctor answered.

"Ooh, young love~" cooed a familiar voice.

Kaito flinched at the voice and turned towards his left. There he recognized the smaller boy with purple hair.

"Hey hey!~"

* * *

Kokichi didn't feel like getting up. Was half of his soul dead? Yep. He just wanted to stay on his bed all day and just relax. He enjoyed the smaller, more peaceful things in life. But the excitement was also a treat whenever it came his way. Except for the fact he was getting smacked around with it all the time now. But he also knew these thoughts were probably fake. Because the whole world he knew up until now was fake. For all he knew, all his thoughts at the moment weren't his true self. Still, he had been able to collect bits and pieces about his old life from gossip and rumors.

He must've been a shy kid and wanted a personality replacement.

That was one rumor, and one he didn't really believe in. He was pretty sure it was fake, but it was possible. He didn't know about personality transplants, but Danganronpa equipment made it possible. But there was also another rumor in which he believed to be true. It was more likely than the first, and he always thought his attitude to be very annoying.

The second rumor was that he heard about was that he was a very problematic child. He was someone who didn't really give a shit about anything, so his parents forced him to participate in the killing game to appreciate his life more. Well if it did, then good job.

He was certainly thinking a lot about life now.

_'Honestly,'_ Kokichi thought, putting his hand to his head, _'I'm so useless. All that act put up for nothing. If Momota had done it right, then maybe it would've worked. No, **I** should've written the script better. This is my fucking fault. I could've done it better.'_

"A-ah, Ouma-san?"

He looked up to see the shy timid boy with green hair and blue eyes. Ah, the one that reminded him a lot of the combination of some of his former Danganronpa classmates.

"Yo, Doctor Watanabe," he greeted, "How's life treating you these days?"

_'He might be a few years older than me, but I guess I can still poke fun at him...'_

"Please don't call me that," Watanabe squeaked, "I'm just an assistant! I'm not a doctor. I don't have a Ph.D., let alone graduated college. Or high school!"

Kokichi grinned, "Cool, cool. I'm just teasing you. Or am I? You never know~ Nishishishi..."

The poor boy groaned as Kokichi grinned. At least not all life here was dead and lifeless. If it were, he swore he'd already be down on the floor. Huh, life decided to spare him for once, huh? Life is cruel, and it'll always have its ups and downs. Right now, he was drowning.

"O-Ouma-san," Watanabe said, "You have a letter from someone with a high position here."

Kokichi smiled, "Hoping it's a letter of release so I can get out of here. Just kidding, I love this place! It smells so nice... just kidding!"

"You confuse me a lot..." Watanabe sighed.

The purple-haired boy just kept on smiling, because that's what he did best. Taking the letter, he opened it without a single care in the world. Until he started caring as he read through it.

**Dear Kokichi Ouma,  
**

**Hm, it's a bit strange talking to you, but you know me better than anyone else. We were just both playing at each other's mind games, weren't we? Just trying to move our chess pieces around, trying to outplay the other. Okay, since I don't really like using that tone with my former classmates, I'll have to stop that. Anyway, I'm sorry that you had to do that for the sake of the whole class. I was the traitor. But things just have to be done you see, and I will do it for the sake of what I believe in. You understand, don't you? This whole time you cared but lied for them. Such devotion, I'm sure you'll be a memorable character. Pretty sure you're everyone's favorite character! Well, in order for us to be truly happy, we need to see if we all are okay, right? There happens to be a class reunion. You can go if you wish. Hope to see you there! :3**

**Sincerely, Tsumugi Shirogane**

_'Shirogane?'_ Kokichi thought as he felt the pit in his stomach just open even wider.

That name that struck chords that seemed to sing throughout him. The melody of emotions that wailed within him, covered by his mask of deceit. The letter also seemed very unlike her. But this was the person he saw. She was a completely different person than they all thought. Kokichi always thought Tsumugi was a bit off. It was the way she acted with the first trial. He could've sworn she was very nervous.

"Ouma-san," Watanabe said, "Someone will take you there if you want. I... encourage you to go."

"Why would you?" Kokichi asked, teasing the boy.

"That's because..." the other timid boy stammered, "I was a participant in the show."

Kokichi was a bit caught off guard. He was not expecting that. He didn't expect someone as shy and nervous as Watanabe to want to do something like the killing game.

"Go or you'll regret it," Watanabe advised.

"We'll see~"

The green-haired boy walked away as Kokichi sat there, seriously contemplating whether he should go or not. Would he regret it if he didn't go? It's not like he was exactly welcome, but it's not like he wasn't the only one cast out. Like Miu. The very one who wanted to kill him.

_'I wonder if she went or not,'_ he thought. _'Oh well~ not like it matters.'_

"Doctor~," he said.

Instead, a woman showed up. She had long dark purple hair, yellow eyes, and pale skin. She held a clipboard and a pen.

"Yes?" the woman asked.

"I wanna go to the reunion!" he exclaimed.

She just smiled, "Fantastic! Let's go!"

Kokichi wasn't exactly the biggest fan of moving around right after experiencing the side effects of being crushed by a digital hydraulic press: pain all over his body. It wasn't in a sequence, so random parts of his body would ache at random times. He wasn't a huge fan of small spaces. The purple-haired boy was pretty sure he was now claustrophobic. Being crushed by something that big and heavy at such a slow pace actually hurt for a bit, then he was dead. He really didn't want to think about it.

He was placed onto a wheelchair and sped off into the halls. It was quiet the first few moments while walking when they ran into unexpected company.

"Hiyori-san, is that you?"

Kokichi didn't bother turning around until the woman pushing him slowed down and he got a better look at the person in the other wheelchair. Immediately a grin spread on his face.

"Hai," she responded, "I'm taking this young man to the room for the Danganronpa 53 participants."

"Ah, I was headed that way too," the other man.

"Ooh, young love~" Kokichi mocked.

The other person in the wheelchair to his right then flinched and turned to look at him. His lips twitched as he smiled.

"Hey hey!~," the purple-haired boy said, shaking jazz hands.

"You!" Kaito exclaimed.

It almost hurt, but Kokichi covered up with mock hurt, "Aw, you angry?"

"No... not really," the ex-Ultimate Astronaut admitted, "Just confused."

This kind of caught Kokichi off guard. He was sure Kaito would launch himself at him. He sighed and did a playful fistbump against Kaito's shoulder. The other boy looked at him surprised.

"What are you doing?" Kaito asked.

Kokichi smiled, "Saying hi, silly!~"

"Why you--!" Kaito shouted, "Wait... so, I have a question."

The purple-haired boy just watched as they crossed the cafeteria and went into a hallway. He tilted his head at the "Luminary of the Stars".

"Yeah?" he asked.

As they were walking in silence, Kaito asked him this question:

"What was your actual opinion about us and this whole thing?"

The smaller boy put a finger to his lips, "That's a secret."

That's when they spotted someone in the distance. Kokichi's eyes widened as he opened his big mouth.

"Mom?!"

* * *

Yeah, he definitely wanted to die at that point. There was no way he was going to be able to face the public again. Korekiyo's role in Danganronpa was actually really fucking disgusting to him. He knew for a fact that: One, he was most definitely not a murderer; two, giggled and acted like some creep out on a Saturday night (usually, sometimes he would giggle because his memories told him he did, but deep within him, he knew it wasn't him); and three, was not into incestuous relationships. He didn't know for sure if he did wear makeup, he was a little scared to ask the hospital staff.

And honestly, the hospital staff wasn't that bad, but he would say their sympathy to them was outright shitty.

They just really seemed artificial to him. It was hard to explain, but that's the only thing he could come up with. It was almost like they were robots. The weirdest thing was that nurses and doctors would constantly show up at his room and ask him to sign some papers. And those papers were usually blank. What? Did they think he was fucking stupid or something? He wasn't blind, so they should've at least told him what was going on.

Speaking about his previous incestuous relationship, he did find the sister very pretty. He was attracted to her, until there was this subconscious feeling within him just said "fuck no, I can't do this sibling stuff", so he didn't have a thing going for his fake sister. At times though, he would find himself obsessing over her very creepily. Unlike his TV self, he just found himself really weird with an off vibe. And again, Korekiyo was pretty sure he was subconsciously making these thoughts and decisions. So he was positive: he was never actually in love with his sister.

_'Yeah, I don't even know why they did that,'_ he thought, _'And I can't even go on the fucking computer because the staff won't let me for some reason. Well, fantastic.'_

The long-haired male leaned back in his bed as he sighed. He was just tired of the hospital he was stuck in. It was like a prison, a cage. One in which he was imprisoned within to just rot there and die.

"H-how are you doing?" his nurse stuttered nervously.

And none of the staff even addressed him by his own name.

"Fine," his smooth voice answered, "I'm just a little... tired, I guess you could say."

The blonde began to panic, "I-I'm so sorry! I should've done something in the first place--!"

"It's fine," he cut in, "It's partially my fault for not informing the staff."

"No no!" the orange-eyed girl screeched while waving her hands, "It's my fault! I should've let you sleep longer, or rest more peacefully! Or ask--!"

"It's fine," Korekiyo repeated, "I'm fine. Trust me."

The girl giggled, "Alright. Th-thank you..."

Without saying a word, Korekiyo went back to his thoughts. Honestly, he thought it was really strange for the girl to get nervous over literally nothing. Just what was she so jumpy about? Made no sense. The whole place made no sense.

"Kehehe," he giggled out of artificial habit, "This is truly strange."

"What?! They got in again?!" a male voice shouted outside, "Damn rabid girls..."

Korekiyo turned his head towards them, "What's going on?"

"N-nothing!" the female nurse squeaked, turning red, "Absolutely nothing. You don't have to worry about it! The staff will take care of it!"

"Hm," he hummed, "Fine."

"O-oh yeah," the girl mumbled, "Here you go!"

A letter was shoved into his hands which he fumbled with. Korekiyo carefully opened the letter. He would soon come to regret that with the strange feeling in his stomach.

**Dear Korekiyo Shinguji,  
**

**Are you alright these days? I've heard that you've kind of shaken off that strange love interest of yours. Angry? Don't be. All in all, I'm glad you're not hurt or mentally insane. You haven't seen anyone that isn't staff or classmates near your door, have you? If that's the case, then you should be fine. If you have, then we might need to do a little fixing with our security. Confused? It's fine, I wouldn't expect you to remember anyway. I would just like to thank you in advance. You've helped us a lot. Don't worry, you'll find out what I'm talking about soon. For the big news, we're having a class reunion. Well, I saw how you felt during your execution scene and thought that you might not have it in you to join us. So don't worry, I sent someone to pick you up. Really looking forward to seeing you.**

**Sincerely, Tsumugi Shirogane**

_'...what?'_ he thought.

There was no way he was dragging himself to a class reunion. He already had shamed himself in front of them and disgusted him with his artificial appeal towards his non-existent sister. It was official: he was not stepping a foot out of his room.

One problem. Someone was coming to pick him up.

"Ah! Are you here to pick him up?"

"We're here for a patient name Shinguji?" a voice at the door asked.

The girl with him nodded as her gaze then shifted from nervous to blank. Her orange eyes were now a void of emptiness. Okay, Korekiyo might've been over-exaggerating just a bit, but he swore the young nurse's face just became expressionless.

"And... who is that?" the nurse managed to muster.

"Another Danganronpa patient. Appearances aside, she's otherwise known as Yonaga."

Abandon ship.

* * *

Angie wasn't really in the mood for sitting there and doing nothing. But Kahoru was. Right now, she was having an inner struggle. It was something like "duo personalities". She had one crazy and creative side: Angie. She also had another side that was efficient and orderly: Kahoru. Every day, she had to struggle with these personalities in what to think, talk, or do certain things. It was hard to manage through a single day. All she wanted to do was collapse into bed and go back to sleep. The brunette-blonde just didn't want to wake up to the day of her internal personalities bickering with one another. Until she got a good grasp on who her other identity, "Kahoru Miyamoto", was she would have a difficult time trying to get through the day.

Not to mention she was extremely jumpy and afraid of the dark. Angie would refuse to sleep in the dark and lock herself in her room at night. It happened so frequently, Kahoru was getting upset with herself with being so weak and pathetic.

"How are you today, Miyamoto-san?" a nurse asked through a special speaker they put in her room.

"Fine," Kahoru answered, "It's just another normal day, you know? Nothing to worry about."

"Did you eat breakfast?" the nurse's voice asked.

Angie nodded, "I did. It was pretty bad, though."

"Ah hah... sorry if you don't like hospital food," the nurse chuckled.

"Sorry," the brown-blonde apologized, "It's okay, but it doesn't measure up to other food from my memory."

"Mhm," the nurse murmured, "Oh, excuse me. Just a second, Miyamoto-san."

The girl just hummed as she was going to decide what she was going to do for the whole day today. One side of her wanted to ask "Atua" for guidance, but another voice in her head told her doing that was stupid. Another day where she was stuck on deciding what to do. Great. This day couldn't get any worse.

But it did. Man, did the world hate her or something?

"Miyamoto-san," the nurse's voice crackled over the speaker, "We have to deliver something to you."

"Right now?" Kahoru asked, "What is it?"

"A letter. From one of the higher-ups. I'm about to come over to you right now, okay?"

"Okay," the girl answered.

The speaker went silent as Angie sat there. She needed someone to be there. Of course, Atua was there! Of course! Nothing for her to worry about!

_'Atua, please guide me throughout this wonderful day and help me in whatever I struggle in,'_ she thought.

Angie smiled as she started to look around the room. Of course. Atua would be there to guide her. She was the chosen one. Everything she did was right and just--

**_'Why are you still thinking that way?'_   
**

That one lone, but powerful voice in her head. Her other "identity". Angie was sure that she was the original, and she did this for Atua's sake. Kahoru was doubtful of Atua. Angie didn't get it. Why wouldn't anyone not like Atua. Sure, Tenko was a bit against it, but soon the Aikido girl had joined her council of Atua. What wasn't there to be liked?

_**'You keep thinking in that delusional mental state of yours,'**_ Kahoru thought, _**'There is no "Atua". "Atua" doesn't exist.'**_

_'Na ah ah,'_ Angie protested, _'Atua exists to guide us all. I am one of the chosen to help this world. My eyes have been opened to Atua's beauty.'_

Before her personalities could contradict or bicker with themselves any further, there was a knock on the door. Angie flinched as she caught her breath and muttered a prayer to Atua.

"Come in."

A nurse with blue hair and green eyes stepped into the room carrying an envelope in her hands. It just looked like an ordinary envelope to Angie, but it must've been something important for the nurse to look so flustered. The blonde-brunette thanked the nurse as she graciously took the letter and read it.

That's where her day got worse.

**Dear Angie Yonaga/Kahoru Miyamoto,  
**

**By the way, sorry about your name. I just didn't which name you went by nowadays. Putting that aside, I'm glad you're okay! Still spreading Atua's will? Good for you! Glad to see you haven't changed. Now, you might be a little bit stunned at your other "identity", but not to worry. Everything will be explained soon. Honestly, I thought you would've dropped that whole Atua thing after what happened. Word of advice from someone who's participated in more killing games than you think: Not everything is what it seems and things you believe can turn out to be lies. That's just so you know. Pushing that aside, there's an announcement that you have to hear. Our class is getting together for a reunion! I'd love to see you there as well! Anyhow, before you go, I need you to go pick up someone for me on your way. I feel that they might not have the urge to come. Many thanks, and I'm looking forward to seeing you.**

**Sincerely, Tsumugi Shirogane**

Angie dropped the paper. For the second time, she felt like Atua's presence was gone. She didn't know what to do or how to react. Was she... supposed to go? Atua wasn't saying anything. She was useless without Atua.

_**'You don't need "Atua" to make your own decisions,'**_ Kahoru thought, _**'You can think for yourself.'**_

_'I-I don't know what to do!'_ Angie thought, panicking, _'Where is Atua?! Atua helps me! Atua! Where are you--?!'_

"Miyamoto-san?" the nurse asked through the door, "Do you have your answer?"

"I-I might as well since Atua isn't here to guide me," Angie said.

_'And the other personality thinks it's best to go,'_ she added.

"Ah, good!" the nurse exclaimed, "That's very nice! Let me go get you a walker! A moment please!"

The girl listened as the nurse's footsteps faded out of her range of hearing. Angie sat there, taking another moment of silence for Atua as the woman came back.

"Before we go, Miyamoto-san," the nurse said, "We have to pick up someone, is that okay with you?"

It was weird. Kahoru noticed the nurse getting all flushed and flustered for some absurd reason. It didn't really make sense. She just nodded and got up. Hesitantly, Angie took the walker and started to shuffle outside. The nurse wanted to support her, but Angie absolutely refused. As they were walking towards their destination, Kahoru was curious about who they were picking up on the way.

"So... where are we going?" Angie asked, "Angie would like to know."

The nurse hesitated and laughed, "I forgot that you referred to yourself as 'Angie' in the show, my bad! Um, who we're picking up... it's--"

"Ah! Are you here to pick him up?"

The nurse shot Angie an apologetic expression as she said, "We're here for a patient name Shinguji?"

Angie's stomach dropped. Her face felt like it was drained of all life and she wanted to leave at that moment. Angie noticed her hands shaking as she wanted to leave the place as soon as possible. She didn't want to be here. Why was she here? She needed to leave. Now. Thoughts were racing in Angie's head as her gaze darted all over and her eyes twitched.

"And... who is that?" the nurse at the door asked.

"Another Danganronpa patient. Appearances aside, she's otherwise known as Yonaga," the nurse leading Angie said.

_'No...'_ Angie said, _'Atua. Atua! Help me! Help me please!'_

Kahoru took a deep breath and clenched the handles of her walker. She could do this, she was better than this.

"He... doesn't seem like he wants to go!" the nurse in Korekiyo's room exclaimed.

"I think he has to go," Angie's nurse said, "After the reunion, I heard they get their memories back. And him especially..."

"You're right," the other nurse gasped, "Sh-Shinguji-san."

"Yes?" answered a voice inside.

A voice that sent chills up Angie's spine. She wanted to leave. Angie needed to leave. The only thing stopping her was herself. Still, Kahoru was reluctant to go, knowing that the reunion and her memories were something important she had to get. Even if she had to go with her killer. Carefully, Kahoru peered inside and saw him. Very familiar, besides that he wasn't wearing his mask and that he didn't have makeup on. He almost didn't even look like he was from Japan. And his hair was more scraggly and frizzy than his normal sleek and shiny locks. Korekiyo looked... different. Completely different in Kahoru's eyes.

"I'll lead him out," the nurse inside the room said.

"I'll do it on my own," Korekiyo assured her, taking a walker from her.

"True, you know he's..." Angie's nurse started, not finishing her sentence, "Just give him some room. Be respectful and mindful. I'll take both of them if you'd like."

"No!" the other nurse exclaimed.

There was a silence that settled upon them, and no one said anything. It was awkward. And strange at the same time. Kahoru thought that Korekiyo's nurse was acting very weirdly. It was weird.

"It's fine," Korekiyo interrupted, "I'll just go with them."

Korekiyo's nurse was silent for a few moments as she reluctantly nodded and head and stormed out of the room. Angie was shaken into silence as she had no idea what was going on. Looking at it, Kahoru noticed Korekiyo looking very confused and nervous. He seemed more... normal. It was probably an insult, but this was just Angie's opinion.

Inching away slowly, Angie watched as Korekiyo shuffled out the door and looked at her strangely. At first, Angie didn't know what Korekiyo was looking at her for. Her nerves kicked up eight notches as she watched his eyes pierce through her very soul. Angie's heart was beating fast, and goosebumps were appearing all over her arm. Her stomach felt like it was falling and her breathing was rapidly beginning to get faster.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"...eh--?" she asked.

"Shouldn't we all be getting a move on?"

Korekiyo started to hide his face, "Ah, you--"

There was a female with silver hair and two males behind her.

Kirumi just curtsied despite the doctor's protests, "Greetings."

* * *

Another day. Thank goodness there weren't any mood swings like yesterday. It was strange. Frequently, Kirumi would start having massive panic attacks. Ones where she would scream and bang at the walls. Doctors doing their best to restrain her. Therapists comforting her. Nurses assuring her. She couldn't control it. Every time it occurred, she thought she would be dreaming. Next thing she knew, a handful of doctors were pinning her onto the floor while she was trying to grab something. Then she would be awake and confused. After every episode, Kirumi would profusely apologize for she was supposed to serve them. Now she was helpless and they had to aide her almost every single day. Besides, even though it was fake, she felt the need to help people. Not to be confined within these walls.

Her role was to serve. Simple as that.

But there was no way she could do that here. She needed to leave this place as soon as possible. There was no explanation behind it, but a nagging feeling inside Kirumi was eating her alive. She had the urge to leave that place and... serve. Serve for eternity. For forgiveness. For a murder she wished that she never committed. But that was just a pathetic excuse. Kirumi just... wanted to see them again and ask them if they could ever forgive her. If they would ever let her clean for them again. If they would ever let her cook for them again. If they would see her as the maid she was back then. Even though they understood it was for a great cause, she held a personal bond with them. One that cannot be mended like the snap of a finger.

"Tojo-san, are you feeling okay today?" a male doctor asked.

"Fine," she answered, "Would you like anything today?"

The man chuckled, "Maybe for you to rest? It's best until you've rested up and feel better again."

"As you wish," she said, a bit disappointed.

Kirumi diligently sat in her bed, trying her best to "get better" as the doctor said. How does one get better? She knew how to make people better, but she herself did not know how to do it. The only thing she could think of was to just sit there and do nothing. Right? Yeah.

_'Is this really all I can do?'_ she thought, _'This is it? There should be more.'_

The more she panicked though, the more she knew she would spiral out of control. Okay, breathe. She needed to calm down. She was the ex-Ultimate Maid after all. Fake or not, all the memories and experience she had could be put into daily activities. If her current body was physically able to.

"How are you feeling today?" the man asked her as he held a clipboard.

"These days I feel fine," Kirumi replied, "Nothing is happening. I feel as if I'm missing something. Perhaps I need to do something."

"Exercise?" the doctor asked obliviously, "Or do you want to eat?"

"Never mind," Kirumi said.

_'Could this man be any more clueless?'_ she thought, _'He completely missed what I meant. Hah, doesn't matter.'_

She now sat in her bed, fingering the sheets between her thumb and index finger. All she could do now was wait until she was released from this place. Hospitality was one of her specialties, but this hospital felt like a cage. Something she couldn't escape from. It eerily reminded her of the Killing Game. Stuck in a giant cage like an animal. Forced to kill each other. At the moment, she just didn't want to think about it. Think back to how helpless she was. It practically tore her apart. She had been driven to murder someone. She, Kirumi Tojo the Ultimate Maid, had murdered one of her fellow peers. How could she have done that? Why did she do that? For the sake of her people, but what about them. How in the actual hell was she supposed to care for the people trapped inside the academy and outside of it? Even if it was all virtual, that's what her life was. It was so... unfair.

What was worse was that she was blaming the game and not herself. Excuses were just excuses. In the end, it was her fault. She chose to murder Ryoma in the first place. Kirumi was guilty and rightfully so. Was there any way they could forgive her? Any? Or was she going to be stuck with this load of guilt for the rest of her life? Not to mention, she was mentally unstable to boot. Her life was a freaking mess. And she was currently drowning in it. Wonderful.

"It's terrifying, isn't it?"

Kirumi turned her head towards the doctor next to her, "I fail to understand what you mean."

"How many people in the world have participated in Danganronpa, you think?" the man asked. "More than you think. I, myself am one of them."

"But... you look very elderly," she said, trying not to be rude.

He chuckled, "I'm in my thirties, yes. There was a killing game with university students. I still remember it like it was yesterday. It was so, ah, vivid."

"Hah," Kirumi sighed.

It seemed as if Dangnaronpa had big connections all over the world and with different age groups, not just high schoolers. Where did they even get that "Ultimate" theme anyway? Oh well, it didn't matter.

"It was horrifying," the doctor said, "Watching us all just fall apart. Similar to you, we had someone who took charge. Well, not exactly. He acted behind the scenes to stay safe. He was killed. Turns out he was the peacemaker we all needed during the time. When he was murdered, we just completely fell apart. It was literal hell."

_'I wonder what would've happened if Akamatsu-san wasn't accused of murder,'_ Kirumi thought, _'Maybe we all would've made it. Maybe. That's a small possibility.'_

Knock

Knock

They turned to the door in which the doctor got up and opened the door. It was a girl who handed him an ordinary envelope. After completing her duty, the girl at the door then ran off. Weird.

"Tojo-san," the doctor called, "It's for you. Please inform me of your answer after."

Confused, Kirumi took the letter. It just had her name on the front with nice handwriting. She opened the envelope, took out the letter and began to read.

**Dear Kirumi Tojo,  
**

**Hang in there. I've heard that you've been flipping out lately and I just wanted to let you know that we're gonna wait for you. Hope you get better and we can all be happy together. I'm guessing that's what you wish for as well, correct? Do you want to have fun and good times again like we used to? The regret on your face during the trial, I saw it. It was heartbreaking. So much despair and regret. Well, I hope you get better! I mean, these past few days I haven't heard any screaming, so I'm assuming you're fine. Speaking about all that regret, how about alleviating it? Forgiveness, I mean. That's right. Hope is still within reach. It's simple. Attend the reunion I'm holding. I'm positive everyone will be there, I'll make sure of it. If you really want that forgiveness, you'll have to come and get it. As harsh as it may sound, that's all there is to it. Hope to see you!**

**Sincerely, Tsumugi Shirogane**

After finding out who the sender was, Kirumi wished she could take back her thought on Tsumugi's nice handwriting. Sure, Tsumugi indeed was a classmate, but she was also the Mastermind. One outweighed the other, in which Kirumi categorized her as a bad person.

But, Tsumugi was smart and did have a point. Kirumi did want forgiveness. And the only way to obtain it was to meet them again and ask. Do whatever it takes to get them to tell her, "We forgive you." If they didn't, it was alright. She was to blame in the first place. Kirumi would have to apologize to Kaede, for not fulfilling her duty to keep everyone safe. She especially had to apologize to Ryoma, for taking advantage of his current state and killing him. At least apologize to them for all the wrongdoings she committed.

"Doctor," she said, turning to look at him, "I'll go."

"Wonderful," he replied, "Give me a moment. Would you like a cane? You landed pretty hard in the simulation, the shock in your body was tremendous."

"Yes please," Kirumi told him, "Thank you very much."

"No problem," the man chuckled, handing her a cane.

She gratefully took it as he led her out the door.

"Um, pardon," Kirumi coughed, "But where do I go?"

"Ah, I'm supposed to guide you there," the doctor informed her.

She nodded as he led her along. The ex-Ultimate Maid walked with ease and only needed to rely on her cane a bit. Hobbling through the halls, she heard a shout come from behind her.

"Mom?!"

Ah. That voice. It was recognizable and oh so familiar. She didn't even have to turn around to tell who it was.

"Ouma-san," she said without turning, "A pleasure bumping into you."

She heard the loud sound of some sort of screeching pulling up behind to her right. The silver-haired woman turned her head around to see the ever so gleeful Kokichi Ouma in all his glory. Despite his smiles, she noted that he was paler and skinnier than she remembered.

"Oi!" a shouted bellowed behind him, "Don't do that! It's rude!"

And the oh so loud Kaito Momota.

Kaito wheeled up next to Kokichi, "Heya, how are you doing?!"

"Fine, thank you," she answered.

She heard the people escorting them hurrying to catch up to them. Her escort chuckled and greeted them.

"So, are you going to the reunion too?" Kokichi asked.

"Yes," Kirumi replied, "There's something important I have to do."

"Mhm, same~" Kokichi told her.

At first, she was doubtful, but then she noticed that Kaito didn't say anything. Was Kokichi actually trying to do something helpful for once? Or was he always helpful and she just didn't notice it? She really didn't know.

"Is it just me, or have you gotten thinner?" Kaito asked out of the blue.

She didn't really notice it herself either, but indeed her hands were skinny. Slim. She looked almost underweight. How did she not notice? Her build was now thin, almost too thin.

"I never noticed," she answered honestly.

"Well, it's not healthy!~" Kokichi told her in a sing-song tone, "You should gain some back."

"You're pretty small yourself," Kaito snorted.

"Are we talking about our weight or height?" Kokichi asked.

"Huh, maybe in your case, both."

"Damn you."

Kirumi sighed as she looked up ahead while the two boys bickered behind her. Up ahead she saw another nurse, a girl with a walker, and someone emerging from a room.

"Who's that?" Kirumi asked.

The boy stopped and looked at where her gaze was directed at. They didn't recognize the blonde-brunette, but they sure did remember the male that stepped out of the room.

"It's Shinguji-chan," Kokichi said.

"That fucker--!" Kaito started.

"Wait, you've got the situation wrong," Kirumi's doctor exclaimed.

"Wait," Kirumi ordered, "Let's hear him out."

"Sh-Shinguji's--erm, hobbies are fictional. Made up," a nurse behind them piped up.

A doctor just sighed as Kaito now mouthed the words "OH".

"Well how about we join them?" the ex-Ultimate Maid proposed.

She began to hobble forward as her doctor restlessly followed her, telling her to slow down.

"Shouldn't we all be getting a move on?" she asked.

Korekiyo turned and immediately trying to tuck his face into his shirt, "Ah, you--"

"Tojo-san, what--?!"

Kirumi curtsied politely, "Greetings."

"Tojo-san," her doctor hissed, "Is your back okay?"

"Fine," she lied.

It was aching a bit, but she could take it. It was fine.

"Greetings, Shinguji-kun," she said.

"Hah, I feel like I've lost all the right to see you all," the man addressed sighed, "You know, because I killed Yonaga-san and Chabashira-san."

The girl beside him was visibly shaking, but her eyes were steely. It was a strange sight. Scared but alert and curious at the same time. Observant. Who was this girl?

"Pardon," Kirumi told the unknown girl, "But, may I ask what your name is? I'm Tojo, Kirumi."

"It's me," the girl said, "Angie. But, I'm also known as Miyamoto, Kahoru."

"Wait, what?!" Kaito shouted, "How?! But-- you--! HAH?!"

"Excuse me," Korekiyo coughed, inching towards the side.

The nurse nodded, flustered. She scooted closer to Angie.

"Why do you look so different?" Kokichi asked out of pure curiosity.

"I don't really know," her voice said.

This time, her voice was... different. As if she was a different person.

"But shouldn't we all get going?!" she said in that familiar tone, "They must be waiting for us!"

"Yeah!" Kaito roared, causing the two nurses to flinch, "Let's go!"

They continued to walk down the halls in silence. Kokichi was having a playful thumb war with Kaito, which was strange because the two of them usually never got along, while the rest of them were just quiet. Kirumi was quiet for polite silence, but Korekiyo and Angie were in uncomfortable silence. When stepping into the room, they noticed three people.

"Greetings, Saihara-san, Iruma-san, and--" Kirumi started.

That's when her words clogged up in her throat. What should she say?

She just calmly smiled, "Hoshi-san."

It was silent for a moment. No one knew what to say.

Kokichi grinned and rolled up from behind, "Hey there!"

Miu suddenly stood up as Shuichi grabbed the blonde's arm. Kirumi wasn't ever so thankful that Kokichi broke that awkwardness.

* * *

What was she to do? She didn't know for once. Kaede watched as she inspired people and tried to give them hope. "Hope", huh? She always looked up to hope and always tried to share it with others. Now, something inside the pianist felt like it was missing. Torn out and stomped on. All gone. It felt hopeless.

How pitiful. She was just pathetic.

Kaede gave hope to people, now she needed it too. And she wasn't getting any from herself. These days, she was just extremely tired and worn out. Her throat would sometimes get sore and her body ached at some points in the day. Honestly, it was just kinda annoying. Even if she did have a bright personality, she did have her limits. Especially with her breathing issues. It was like PTSD of some sort. She would start overthinking and suddenly it would be hard to breathe. She hated that.

_'Okay, let's just hang in there,'_ she thought, _'Maybe I won't have to stay here for long.'_

Oh man, the place sure was boring. Not that it was a bad thing, but Kaede didn't really like silence. Especially when she was left with these toxic thoughts from the back of her head. She didn't like it. All she wanted to do was leave. Maybe get back home to her family. But what was her family even like? Truth is, the blonde didn't know. And she wouldn't be able to know unless she got her real memories back. But was real? What was the truth and what was the lie?

_'Here I am,'_ Kaede thought drily, _'Hiding from the truth once again.'_

Wow, that was fantastic. Something she really didn't want to think about. Especially seeing that the show totally trolled her and her image. Pictured from the audience, Kaede was supposed to be the protagonist. But she wasn't. And she was calling the show out on it. She was especially irked by the fact that she wasn't supposed to die. Tsumugi was. She did everything correct. As much as Kaede would've loved to curse the name of the very Mastermind who caused her unjust death, she couldn't do it. She just couldn't. Maybe they could talk and figure something out, she didn't really know.

_**'She's disgusting,'**_ a thought in the back of her mind echoed, **_'Letting me die even though I did nothing wrong.'_**

Kaede didn't like this. She didn't like these thoughts. Scratch that, she hated them. Why did she think up of such cruel things? Was she that terrible? All these thoughts plagued her mind and she absolutely hated it. Did that mean she was a bad person? Why was she thinking these things? Why?

"Akamatsu-san," a nurse with the most dead voice said, "Are you alright?"

"F-fine," the girl answered, "I'm just spacing out a little, that's all."

"I see," the nurse replied as she wrote in her clipboard.

The empty noise of silence just filled the room again. It was uncomfortable for some reason. This sort of silence felt like it was literally killing her. It was sucking the air out of the atmosphere and choking her. She was lonely. Wondering what she should do, Kaede began to clench her fist and think with all the optimism in her body.

_'Think positive!'_ she thought, _'I'm sure this will be over soon!'_

"Nice optimism you got there," her nurse told her.

Kaede jumped, "H-how did you know? I mean, did I say anything out loud by accident or anything?"

The girl had short dark turquoise hair and yellow eyes. Her skin was very light, which she knew her mother, (or her artificial mother) had been envious of as she grew up. Or, how she remembered growing up. To be honest, the only real memory she probably had was being kidnapped off the street. Or that was fake too.

"I read expressions well," the girl replied simply.

"I see!" Kaede chirped, clapping her hands together and trying to brighten the mood, "Where'd you learn how to do that?"

"I just picked it up as I grew," the nurse answered.

Kaede nodded and squinted her eyes, "Say, are you older than me? You look pretty young."

"By one year, I'm guessing," the girl responded, "I'm a volunteer here. But it's hard to volunteer here."

"Ah," the blonde murmured, "What's your name? I'm Akamatsu, Kaede. Nice to meet you."

"I already know who you are. You're pretty famous on TV now," the girl replied, "The name's Hirata, Kano."

Kaede smiled, "Nice to meet you, Hirata-san!"

The girl just mumbled something as she continued to write in her clipboard.

"Do you hate her?"

"Come again?" Kaede asked, shocked by the question.

She did not see that coming. And by who was this girl she was asking about?

"Shirogane-san," Kano replied smoothly, "She has a high position over at the production studio."

"Shirogane-san," Kaede whispered, "Well, I'm not exactly sure. I just... didn't expect her to do that to me. I-I'm not exactly sure if I hate her or anything--"

Kano turned to face her, "Akamatsu-san, you're truly to naive and kind for your own good."

"Sorry," the blonde apologized, "I just have mixed feelings about her. I'll see if I ever get the chance to see her again!"

_**'Selfish. Shirogane-san is selfish,'**_ whispered a thought that ran through her head.

Kaede was just... glad that Shuichi did his best when she, you know, died. Shuichi. The one she so cruelly left behind as she died. She truly was a terrible person. It broke her heart when she saw him tearfully reach out for her head in desperation. In the situation, fear spiked in her chest as she instinctively reached out for him as well. Fear was one of mankind's strongest emotions, that's why she always tried to give a helping hand towards others who needed it. During her execution, Kaede felt the worst pain ever. Just breathing hurt. Every movement sent jolts of pain throughout her body. Living hurt. When she was being tortured, she could feel her face turning different shades of color and her legs wobbly like jelly.

So what did she feel about Tsumugi?

The thing was, she just couldn't bring herself to hate the girl. The bluenette must've had some sort of reason to do that. Maybe there was more to the story that Kaede needed to know. If Tsumugi could tell her, she would understand.

"I don't know about you," Kano piped up, slicing through Kaede's thoughts, "But I would've probably resented her for the rest of my life. Unfairly killing me and making me go through torture I thought was real. That's what I think, Akamatsu-san. What about you?"

The blonde just stared at the girl and swallowed, "I--"

Knock

Knock

Kano turned her head towards the door and opened it. There stood a man who handed her a letter. The turquoise haired girl looked at the front of the letter and nodded. The man told her a few instructions and left. Kano turned the envelope several times in her hand and walked over to Kaede.

"For you," was all the volunteer said.

Kaede took the envelope and opened it. Removing the crisp paper, she unfolded it and began to read the words on the page.

**Dear Kaede Akamatsu,  
**

**First of all, I have to thank you for saving our show. I'm terribly sorry that you had to suffer for no reason whatsoever. How are you doing nowadays? Not well? I heard you get asthma attacks from just speaking due to your condition, and I have to apologize on the behalf of the company and my actions. What I did was wrong. I'm sorry that you had to suffer for something you didn't do. You were supposed to live fairly, but it would be the end of me and my career if I didn't do something. I truly am sorry, Akamatsu-san, I will try to make it up to you. If you hate me, I'm not surprised. You had the right to live and I took that away from you. I'm sure poor Saihara-kun was also torn up about it. He looked so depressed during the last trial, thank goodness Kiibo saved us. Well, there's a small reunion I'm hosting and I'm looking forward to seeing you there. I want you to be there to not only see your former classmates but to talk with you. Please come. Don't worry, I'll make sure of it! Maybe we can talk things out and you can ask me anything. Hope to see you there. :)**

**Sincerely, Tsumugi Shirogane**

There was a strange empty feeling in her stomach. She didn't really know what it was. Sick. Kaede felt really sick. Sure, she was ecstatic she was going to be able to see her classmates again, but Tsumugi kept talking about her death. Like pressing on an old wound. It hurt, and Tsumugi was just ripping it right open again. At that point, she was angry with Tsumugi. Kaede knew that the two of them needed a long and private chat with each other.

_'Keep calm, Kaede,'_ the blonde told herself, _'You'll talk to Shirogane-san later and we'll figure things out.'_

"So, do you want to go?"

Kaede looked up at the source of the voice to see Kano standing at the edge of her bed. The girl had put her clipboard down and was waiting. But for what?

"What do you mean?" Kaede asked, confused.

"If you want to go to the reunion, just tell me and I'll take you," Kano informed her, "If not, I won't. Food and drinks are provided I think."

Food and drinks were the least of Kaede's concern at the moment. Well, since she really didn't have anything to do, she might as well go.

"I think I'll go," the ex-Ultimate Pianist murmured, "I want to see them again. Saihara-kun... all of them!"

"Good for you," Kaho said, "How about I take you right now?"

Her heartbeat began to thump faster against her chest as she grew unsteady. What if they didn't want to see her? She left them down, would they really be proud of her? Would they embrace her? Would she be welcome? She was also nervous about her impression on them. Rantaro, what would he think about her? She murdered him. Well, technically she didn't, but she tried to. And that was just as bad. What about Shuichi? Would he be disappointed in her and never look her in the eye. She let them down and was a big hypocrite. Kaede was a failure. A burden, in other words.

_'D **i** s **a** p **p** o **i** n **t** i **n** g **.** '_

Suddenly, her chest felt like a drum as her heart kept beating so quickly. Her breathing was more harsh and rapid. Her throat hurt. Her vision was wavering as she saw Kano drop her clipboard and rush over to her. The feeling in her chest just got worse as she felt more and more like a burden. Was she seriously having a breakdown? Why? And right now? She just wanted to see them again. It didn't make sense! Kaede began to clutch her chest as her breathing grew harsh. Her throat was constricting, air couldn't get in and out like she wanted to.

"Akamatsu-san!" Kaho shouted, putting a reassuring hand on Kaede's shaky shoulders, "Akamatsu-san, breathe. Breathe. Don't worry, it won't last for long. Okay, breathe with me. Breathe..."

The blonde could feel sweat starting to trickle down her face. She struggled to breathe but found Kano's words reassuring. Was this girl only a volunteer, because she was really good at this. Kaede clutched her chest and Kano's arm. The other girl didn't react and just soothingly pet Kaede's arm.

"Nobody's going to hurt you," Kano assured her, "You're going to be alright. Nobody's here to hurt you. You're safe from--"

"I-I think I--" Kaede gasped, "I-it's almost gone--"

"Then don't talk until it's over, okay? It'll be over soon," Kano whispered.

Her chest felt like a burden just lifted from it, and her throat stopped constricting. Kaede felt something wet on her face and touched it. Were those tears? Tears of pain and embarrassment for sure.

"Are you alright--?" Kano started.

Knock

Knock

"Again?" Kaho muttered to herself.

"Hello?"

That voice.

"Can you open the door, please? I'm here to pick up Akamtasu-san!"

Kaho opened the door to see a blue-haired girl with glasses standing there. She had a cane and another boy in a wheelchair who she also recognized.

"Shirogane-san, Kiibo-kun," Kaede whispered hoarsely.

* * *

He was not going to leave his room. Kiibo was scared, anxious, and forgetful. Sometimes he forgot that he had to eat, sleep, exercise, or even breathe. At times, he was so afraid when he found himself typing nothing. He'd wake up from his restless sleep to see his fingers typing some sort of invisible keyboard.

It's because he remembered. It's because he knew Danganronpa. Because he worked in the company. Right now, Kiibo felt like the worst human alive. Wait, wait. Human? He barely could grasp the very concept of even being "human". He just couldn't believe he was a living, breathing, talking human. It was hard to believe. Every day he would say it.

"I'm human. I'm _human_."

As he thought, it was really hard for him to take in both his current situation and air. Kiibo remembered studying the human system and thought the way it was functioned and built together was just as complex as a machine. There were multiple systems in the human body like the respiratory system or the urinary system. All parts of the human body were needed to function, but the appendix probably was useful back during humanity's cavemen era.

And eating. Eating felt so new to him. It felt refreshing and satisfying. Being able to stop that monstrous beast that was located within his stomach felt very nice. Kiibo guessed that he liked these new experiences. Especially the way they tasted. Sure he didn't get to try any cuisine that he liked, but food was... good! It tasted good, and he could taste it. This feeling he got when he just put this food. These "flavors" that he could "taste" just felt amazing. The human brain was so complex to be able to capture these things. Like smell. When he smelled the food, he was overcome with this "sense" in his nostrils which his brain seemed to immediately recognize.

Other than that, Kiibo found the human body fascinating and rather burdensome.

Yesterday, he forgot to eat again, finding the burning feeling in his stomach very painful and irritating. A few days ago, he forgot to go to sleep when all he thought he really needed was a charger. The human body was a priority now, and it was quite a hassle for him. Because he didn't have to deal with this stuff when he used to be a robot. Or when he thought he used to be a robot. Turns out he never was. Huh, fascinating.

Another bothersome fact was that the human body often does strange things. Like moving on its own when the person isn't even aware of it. Staff members would stare at him strangely when he caught himself accidentally typing in the middle of the air. He didn't even know what he was doing. Kiibo wasn't exactly sure, but he had a feeling whatever he was typing weren't actual words and probably gibberish.

He still had human emotion, and he was sure his former body had the same feeling as he did now. They both felt the same. Kiibo wasn't just some "scrap of metal" or anything. He used to be artificial intelligence with actual thoughts and feelings. At least, very few of his former classmates actually validated those feelings. Still, he was worried about them. Yes, he did watch the show, almost ten full hours of it. When finding out how long the show was, Kiibo couldn't help but think about how much time people nowadays had. Must be a lot of free time on their hands.

He knew for sure that Shuichi, Himiko, and Maki were alright. Maybe, he wasn't too sure. But he was certainly worried about the others, including Kokichi (even though the boy did bully Kiibo often). The one he probably fret over the most was Miu. This was because she was the one who spent most of her time with him, despite him not being a human at the time. When he was in the simulation, he felt things like love and affection. This was all platonic of course, but he did feel a little something with some of his classmates which he couldn't really put a finger on at the time. Now, he didn't really feel that anymore. It was almost like half of his heart and soul was missing. He couldn't feel anything.

"Did you eat?" the doctor asked.

"Yes," Kiibo answered.

"How many hours did you sleep?" the man asked again.

The boy huffed, "I'm guessing... approximately six and a half hours?"

The doctor nodded, "Better, but you need to sleep more. I don't want to see you falling asleep in the middle of the day for three hours without knowing why. Got it?"

"Got it," Kiibo replied.

"Now, have you been twitching your fingers lately?" the doctor asked, "You know, that strange habit of yours."

Kiibo scratched his head, "I think so. I'm not twitching my fingers though, I think I'm typing something."

"Are you sure?" the doctor asked, "Positive? You aren't lying, right? It would hurt me to see a man from a decently high position of the company to be hurting or doing things without knowing the reason behind it."

_'Things are confusing as they already are,'_ Kiibo thought, _'And it's kinda driving me crazy. Huh, I should just forget about it and wait for further instruction. Don't give up, it's not all hopeless.'_

He stopped when he thought those words. "Hope" was a strange thing. He didn't really know the relationship of hope and despair to Danganronpa either. All he knew was that Danganronpa basically revolved around those two things. There was no reason behind it, they just were. Kiibo narrowed it down to a short explanation so he could understand what Danganronpa was better. Hope was the opposite of despair, vice versa. There are some maniacs who crave about despair, locking children and other people up in schools to create more despair. When there is shadow, there is light, so there must be some people who fight for the sake of hope. What? Yeah, Kiibo didn't really know at that point.

"Anything else?" Kiibo asked the doctor.

"Hm, not really," the man answered.

The high school aged boy wiggled in his bed, "Doctor, for the past few minutes now, I'm feeling something really strange."

"What is it?" the doctor asked in a concerned voice.

"It feels tingly near this certain area," the former said in a tight voice, "I believe Ouma-kun calls it a 'dick'."

"Uh, Idabashi-san. Mind your language, please," the doctor whispered.

Kiibo's back shot straight up, "I-I'm so sorry! I meant my peni--!"

"Idabashi-san," the doctor said, "I think you need to go to the bathroom."

"R-right!"

\---

After going to the bathroom, Kiibo felt a sense of... euphoria. It was a strange feeling that he had never felt in his life. His artificial life as a robot in a simulation that wiped his real memories and gave him fake ones. This blissful feeling he felt was probably a one of a kind thing. It felt good to reject all his fluids and send them back to the earth.

Amazing. Is this what being human felt like? Probably.

"Idabashi-san," the doctor said, "You have a visitor."

"Who?" Kiibo asked, "You told me family and friends weren't allowed to visit yet."

The man nodded, "It's one of our higher-ups--"

"Kiibo," a voice from outside exclaimed, "It's me."

The doctor opened to door for the one and only Tsumugi Shirogane to step in. She looked utterly drained in his opinion. Her hair was disheveled, her skin was paler than usual, and her eyes had bags under them. Nevertheless, there was still a spark of life in those eyes. The girl slowly walked over to him as she handed him an envelope with his name on it.

"Shirogane-san!" Kiibo squeaked, "And, is that for me?"

"What else?" the girl asked, smiling, "Now, go ahead and open it!"

Kiibo eyed her warily as he took the envelope and carefully opened it. Inside, he removed a paper which he soon discovered was a letter.

**Dear Kiibo/K1-B0 Idabashi,  
**

**My dear and trusted co-worker, how are you nowadays? Good? Fine? After exiting the simulation, do you finally feel more human than before? All I did was do what you asked for you to see what the joy of "being human" is like. Does it feel good now? Well, I guess I really can't ask you since you don't remember anything from your previous life. Except for that you worked with us and that you've remembered some of the special skills that I saw in you. I remember, and I hope you soon do too. Are you getting the hang of being human yet? What a hassle to have to eat, sleep, exercise, and go to the restroom. I bet some who are irritated by sleep would be jealous of you. There's more stuff that we're affected by that you would never imagine. But I bet eating felt good because you really couldn't eat in the simulation. Anyway, the important thing is that everyone is still alive and breathing! And that calls for a reunion, right? So, I've come in person myself to pick you up and deliver this letter! Amazing, isn't it? Have high hopes.**

**Sincerely, Tsumugi Shirogane**

"Wait, what?!" Kiibo cried.

"It's all right there," Tsumugi said, then smiling, "We're gonna go see them."

"R-right now?!" the boy asked.

"Yep," the bespectacled girl replied.

The doctor sighed and handed them a wheelchair.

"Shirogane-san," the doctor said, "You should get in a wheelchair as well--"

The girl shook her head, "No thank you. I'll take a cane instead."

"But--"

"My orders," she firmly insisted, planting a foot on the ground.

The former sighed as he disappeared for a few moments and came back with a wheelchair and a cane. Tsumugi thanked him and helped Kiibo into the wheelchair. The bluenette instructed the doctor to push Kiibo and that she would lead the way, saying they had someone else to "pick up".

"Where are we going?" Kiibo asked.

"Going to see the beacon of hope that everyone looked up to," Tsumugi replied.

Kiibo was confused. Until they reached a room in which a nurse with short blueish hair opened the door. Then he heard a familiar voice.

"Shirogane-san, Kiibo-kun."

That voice. It took him a moment for it to register in his mind because he hadn't heard it in a long time. He peeked from behind Tsumugi and saw her.

"Akamatsu-san!" he cried, "It's you!"

The girl smiled, though he noted that she looked slightly frazzled and distressed. It was as if something had just happened to her. The blonde began to dab the sweat off her forehead with her sleeve. The nurse whispered something to Tsumugi, who nodded and whispered something back.

"Akamatsu-san," Tsumugi said, "You're coming with us."

"Huh?" the girl asked, confused, "To where?"

"To meet the others, of course!" the former replied.

* * *

Tsumugi was in a decent mood. She had been often told that her personality and mood changes were drastic and often changed drastically from time to time. Right now, she was in a neutral state. Normal. The atmosphere around her seemed to affect how she acted, and that's how she grew up.

"So, how long will it take for us to get there?" Kiibo asked.

"Not long," she replied, "Not even ten minutes."

Kaede just nodded and continued to walk alongside Kiibo. Tsumugi could obviously tell that the girl was uncomfortable with her and probably had some questions for her. A lot of questions, in fact. Tsumugi knew what she did probably ruined her whole career. But if she did nothing, then her career would've also ended. She had no choice.

Oh well, not like it mattered anymore. What was done was done. The best thing Tsumugi could do now was explain to Akamatsu as to why she pinned the blame on her. But she was more excited about meeting the others and their reactions. What would they really think of her?

Tsumugi pushed open a door where it looked like all chaos had broken loose. Suddenly, everyone stopped talking, moving, probably even breathing. The bluenette just couldn't help it as a smile crossed her face.

"Hello, everyone!"

Nobody moved an inch as she walked inside. Kiibo was pushed in by the doctor with Kaede trailing in from behind. The girl was silent and didn't say anything. Kiibo's doctor bowed and left as the ex-Ultimate Robot and the ex-Ultimate Pianist stood awkwardly next to each other. Nobody spoke a word besides Shuichi who let out a loud and audible gasp in the room. Tsumugi flashed a small smiled as she walked to the middle of the room. The people who were currently in the middle of the room shrunk back to their original positions. All of the ex-Ultimates were now seated in a circle with Tsumugi in the middle, taking in her physical appearance probably. Tsumugi knew all too well that she looked terrible.

"Let's start our little reunion, shall we?" the bluenette asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this took forever? Sorry about the wait if it took a while. There was a lot of editing to do and some areas I struggled in writing. Now I'll just have to see what comes next. Peace :P


	14. Reunion Talk | All

It was quiet. Really quiet. So quiet that the silence was suffocating. Tsumugi was completely fine with that. She could break the ice and make the atmosphere warm. That was one of her specialties. Well, it might be a little difficult considering she was the cause of everyone's misery.

Some people stuck out though. The way Maki looked at Kaito and had a tint of red on her cheeks. Shuichi's expression when he saw Kaede and wanted to go to her, just to be stopped by Tsumugi's stare. Himiko sending a yearning gaze at Tenko, to which the latter looked away to the side with the expression of guilt. And most of the students, Gonta and Miu in particular, had stiffened at the very sight and presence of Kokichi Ouma.

"So, how's everyone doing today?" she asked, smiling.

"That's kind of hard to answer," Kaito growled, "You're the Mastermind."

Tsumugi sighed, "Yes, I am. Got a problem with that?"

"Hell yeah I do--!" the Luminary of the Stars growled.

"Momota-chan!~" Kokichi shouted, "How about we wait until she's finished?"

Most of the people in the room were surprised as Kaito actually complied to Kokichi's request. The purple-haired boy just grinned and flashed a peace sign to the other students in the room. Miu especially had clenched fists as Shuichi whispered words of comfort to her. Ryoma muttered something that made the girl shrivel up and glare at Kokichi.

"Now, I know everyone's a little wrecked and... confused, but don't worry, you'll understand later," Tsumugi said, "Your memories were extracted from your head and put into capsules. Not only did I call you here for a reunion, but also for an interview. After this gathering is over, you all will get your memories back. Good?"

Himiko raised her hand, "Do we all know each other?"

"How would I know that?" the bluenette asked, "You guys have your own, personal memories and lives while I have mine. I assure you, we did not tamper with anything. I swear it on the title of Mastermind and my position in Team Danganronpa."

"Get ready to throw that title in the dirt and spit on it then," Maki glowered.

"I'll have you know that I care very much about my current lifestyle and position," the bespectacled girl replied, "When you get your memories back, you can ask Kiibo-kun all about it."

"M-me?!" Kiibo squeaked.

"Back to business," Tsumugi said, "I'm going to take roll call."

"Wait, why?" Gonta asked, raising a hand.

Tsumugi's eyes darted over to Kaito's clenched fists, Maki's piercing stare, and she could feel the anger and sorrow of most of her classmates.

"I'll let you know now," she snapped, her tone darkening, "If anyone is aggressive with me, I will call security."

"She's right," Kaede sighed, making everyone turn to look at her, "Violence isn't the solution. How about we do our best and get our explanations later."

_'I'll get mine from her privately,'_ Kaede added in her head, _'After this is over.'_

"Explanations come after you get your memories back. So I want to know if everyone's here," the bluenette replied, "Okay, Akamatsu-san. You're here... it's nice to have you back."

Tsumugi noticed as several people's figures jolted and flinched at the name. The girl just smiled at everyone. But behind that, she could tell that Kaede was nervous. Tsumugi was surprised Shucihi didn't ecsatically run over to the blonde. Instead, the detective whose gaze pierced right through the blonde sitting next to Kiibo.

"Here," she said, "Hey guys..."

"Akamatsu!" Kaito shouted, waving, "Holy hell it's actually you!"

"Momota-kun," she said breathlessly, "It's nice to see you too!"

"Hi! Akamatsu-chan!" Tenko cried, "It's so good to see you!"

"You too, Chabashira-san!"

Shuichi couldn't bring himself to say anything as he waved at her. To his surprise, she waved back, smiling at him.

"We all missed you very much, Akamatsu-san," Kiibo told her.

Kaede smiled, "Really? I mean..."

The blonde's gaze drifted over to Rantaro as she then looked away, ashamed. Shuichi just looked longingly at her. Everyone just seemed... drawn to her. She was a natural magnet.

"Hi, Akamatsu-chan!~" Kokichi shouted.

Kaede waved at him as well.

"Before we get all friendly," Tsumugi interrupted, "How about we take roll first?"

Everyone shuffled uneasily as a few nodded. She noticed Miu gestured something crude to Ryoma. To which Shuichi started to shake his head and his head at them in a panicked state. Kokichi as well seemed drawn to the ex-Ultimate Pianist. Maybe she just radiated that sort of friendliness to everyone and not to just certain people in particular like some of the protagonists did.

"Amami-kun?" Tsumugi asked, "Ah, there you are."

Tsumugi took note that Kaede's face broke out in cold sweat. Rantaro just waved as Maki nodded at him and more people welcomed him. But his gaze was dazed as he was more awkward than he usually was. Rantaro had a cool attitude, but now she could see him furrowing his eyebrows and his scrunched up facial expressions. He didn't attract people like Kaede did, but he just had a cool demeanor that everyone was comfortable with.

"Sorry, I might not get some of your names," the green-haired boy chuckled.

_'Ah, he really did lose some of his memory, huh?'_ the Mastermind thought, _'How unfortunate.'_

"Hey! Do you remember me?" Kokichi asked, waving at him.

The boy put his thumb under his chin and the side of his index finger under his lips. The green-haired boy got lost in thought for about a second and snapped his fingers. Rantaro's eyes seemed to light up.

"Ouma-kun," he said.

"Yay!~" the shorter male exclaimed, "You remembered me!~"

Rantaro laughed, "I remember a lot now. Thanks!"

Tsumugi nodded and moved on to the next person, "Chabashira-san?"

Himiko seemed to stare at the other girl with some sort of desperation as the girl raised her hand. The ex-Ultimate Mage pursed her lips and restrained herself from running up to the taller girl.

"Here!" Tenko cried out, "Hello, everyone!"

She sure hadn't lost most of her spunk. But Angie kind of found that a bit annoying when Tenko argued with her. People welcomed her as Tsumugi noted that she was more friendly with some of the males, including Shuichi who she greeted.

"Nice to see you again," Kirumi said.

"Thank you!"

"Even though you were kinda mean, me too," Kaito added.

"Ah, I'm sorry about my behavior. I'm glad to see you all too," Tenko apologized.

The only person that made her stop was Korekiyo, who hid his face in his shirt. Tenko just turned away and sat back down.

"Hm, next we have... Gokuhara-kun!" Tsumugi declared, "You here?"

"Gonta is here!" the large male cried next to Himiko.

Kokichi didn't show it, but he bit his lip for a second. There was that feeling of regret in his stomach as he could see pairs of eyes piercing through him. Even though during that trial, he spoke of nothing but the truth. But the truth is so ugly and nasty, that some refused to accept it.

"Great to see you again," Shuichi said.

"Yeah, we missed you, big guy!" Kaito added.

Kiibo smiled, "It is nice."

Ryoma shot him a thumbs up as Miu just stiffened up so much, her back was as straight as a board.

The tension in the room just grew thicker as Kokichi had a feeling that most of them were looking directly at him. How annoying. Especially Kaito. He was probably going to make a big deal out of it later.

"Is Harukawa-san here?" Tsumugi asked, "I need to know."

"Yes! She's next to Gonta!" Gonta exclaimed, pointing to the brunette.

Maki just glared at Tsumugi with a murderous glare in her eyes. Tsumugi just brushed it off and didn't mind it at all. Which just pissed off the red-eyed girl more who kept clenching her wheelchair handles.

"You probably shouldn't do that," Rantaro said.

Tenko opened her mouth to say something as she then closed it. Maki just muttered curses under her breath as Gonta pat her shoulder. Kaito looked at her worriedly at the other side of the room. Maki met his gaze and felt a sense of shame and embarrassment as she stopped. She couldn't face him. Not yet. Kaede sighed in relief as the brunette didn't flare up.

"Next we have... Hoshi-kun!" Tsumugi cried, "That's right! How are you? I heard your condition isn't well..."

The smaller male shuffled in his wheelchair and coughed weakly. He righted himself up as he stared groggily at the bluenette staring at him.

"Not doing so good," he grumbled, "It's even worse than before."

Kirumi stared at him curiously, wondering what he was struggling with. And why he was still in a wheelchair when she wasn't. Was there something wrong with him? She was worried about him.

"Is this normal for humans?" Kiibo asked quietly, "Or..."

"No. It isn't," Ryoma answered.

"So you aren't feeling better?" Kirumi coughed.

He turned to face her, "No not quite."

The room grew silent and awkward once again. Tsumugi swore that this class was going to be the death of her because it was so quiet. It was an irritating silence that just got on her nerves.

"Well, I hope you found something to live for," Tsumugi said, smiling.

_**'How morbid,'**_ Kahoru thought.

_'Did she really have to add that?'_ Korekiyo thought.

_'Wow, way to rub it in, bitchass,'_ Miu thought.

"We'll see," the tired boy said.

"Iruma-san," the bespectacled girl said, "Are you here?"

There was no answer as the girl just raised a hand sharply as most of the room was confused as to why she didn't say anything, or curse at all. Kokichi grinned as he began to snicker.

"What's wrong you whore?" he asked, "Did you have so much fun that you were knocked senseless?"

_'Shut your little...!'_ Miu thought.

"That is not something you should say, you degenerate!" Tenko shouted.

The girl seemed to flinch and opened her mouth as nothing came out. She wavered and flipped him off to everyone's surprise. The blonde then flipped her hair with the same confidence and bravado, but sat down in embarassment and shame.

"Ah, Iruma-san has some sort of condition," Shuichi explained, "She can't speak."

"Good riddance," Kokichi huffed.

"Ouma-kun! That is very rude! Apologize!" Kiibo shouted.

Kokichi just stuck his tongue out as most of the class didn't say anything. After all, most of them, actually all, didn't really take a liking to the blonde girl's behavior. Miu knew that, for she had seen everyone's reaction towards her. It didn't bother her anymore since she had become accustomed with their attitude towards her personality.

"Is Kiibo here?" Tsumugi asked, "Oh wait. I brought him here. My bad."

"Kiibo!" Himiko shouted, "Wait... you're human?"

The boy let out a sound that resembled a crow's squawk. Some of them heard it as, "You didn't realize?!". Poor Kiibo.

"I guess?" the male asked, "I just... woke up like this. I'm human like all of you guys!"

"Interesting," Kahoru murmured.

"How does it feel?" Ryoma asked.

"Very... strange. And a bit of a hassle," Kiibo admitted.

_'I know, right?'_ a handful of people in the room thought.

"But is it nice?" Gonta asked.

Kiibo nodded, "It's a brand new experience! The feeling is just absolutely amazing!"

"At least he has a dick now," Kokichi snickered.

"That is still robot discrimination!" Kiibo shrieked, flailing his arms.

Smiles appeared on most of everyone's faces as they were reminded of the fun old times they spent together. Just watching Kokichi poke fun at Kiibo was heartwarming for some sort of reason.

Kaede smiled, "It's okay, Kiibo-kun. We value you as a friend."

"Thank you, Akamatsu-san," Kiibo sighed.

"Now I'm pretty sure Momota-kun is here, no?" Tsumugi asked.

The boy gruffly stuck his hand up, "Over here."

Maki met eyes with him as grinned at her. She just looked away as Gonta looked at her curiously. Gonta didn't really know why Maki was looking away all flustered like that.

"It's nice to see you," Himiko said.

"Missed you all too!" Kaito exclaimed.

Kirumi nodded at him.

"You and Ouma-kun did a great job in pulling that stunt off, I'll give you that," Tsumugi said, "Too bad it just didn't work out."

"Why are we talking about that?" Shuichi asked.

"Can I not?" Tsumugi inquired.

"Just... I feel it's not the most appropriate topic to talk about at the moment," Shuichi replied, flashing the widest smile he ever could back at her.

At that, Miu started choking on air as Kokichi laughed at her pitiful state. The ex-Ultimate Detective began to pat the back of the blonde next to him. Kaede was shocked as she smiled at him.

"I agree," Maki said sharply, "Can we not go deeper in on that topic?"

Tsumugi shrugged, "Fine, whatever you want."

Maki growled which caused Kokichi to chuckle. Gonta just blinked unknowingly, assuming everyone was getting along just fine. Kirumi sighed as she just wanted this awkwardness to end.

"Ah, and everyone's favorite character: Ouma-kun!" Tsumugi exclaimed.

"Favorite?" Maki asked, her face darkening.

"Moi?!" Kokichi asked, making it hard to tell if his reaction was genuine, "For reals?! Wowie, what an honor!"

Kaito grunted, "What's with that reaction?"

"What?" the shorter male asked, blinking his eyes so fast everyone thought they would fall off, "Is there something wrong?"

"Never mind!" Kaito barked.

Gonta was squirming uncomfortably in his seat as he looked flustered and rather confused. Miu was angry, but it was obvious that she was trembling in absolute fear. Shuichi and Maki were straightened up at his name and were both staring at him. In fact, everyone was staring at him.

Kokichi sighed, "Why's everyone looking at me like that?"

"Because--!" Maki growled.

"Because some of us don't like you?" Angie suggested.

"That's very impolite but direct," Tenko commented, "I think he d--"

"H-how about we move on?" Kaede asked, trying to cut the tension in the air.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Rantaro said, "After all, we do have important things to discuss."

"Aw you're all a bore," Tsumugi groaned.

"Or your idea of fun is different from ours," Maki said.

Tsumugi just shot her a smile which Shuichi thought was most likely fake. Honestly, the raven-haired boy just wanted this to be over and go over to Kaede. The very sight of her almost made his start to cry. Had it not have been for Miu's taunting stare and Ryoma's quiet and reassuring words, he didn't bawl his eyes out. Just when was this girl going to finish taking roll?

"So... Saihara-kun!" Tsumugi exclaimed, "Our beloved protagonist! How does it feel?"

"I don't know," he answered evenly, "What do you think?"

The girl just smiled, "It's a big honor to be a main character, Saihara-kun. Especially with that enthusiasm..."

"Are you talking about my interview?" Shuichi coughed.

"Precisely," the bespectacled girl answered.

"What if those were fakes?" Maki asked, her eyes flashing, "What if they're just lies you're feeding us so you can guilt trip us?"

"That is plausible," Kirumi added.

Tsumugi was getting annoyed by Maki's antics. The girl was just so aggressive to her. It was almost as if the brunette always had to say something after everything she said. How irritating. Like a pest. A _bug_.

"I assure you, they're authentic," Tsumugi replied calmly, "After you get your memories back, you'll watch the tape. Fair?"

Maki just huffed and continued to stare at the bluenette.

_'How annoying,'_ Tsumugi thought.

"Anyway," she said, "Shinguji-kun. Are you here? I made sure Yonaga-san brought you over as well."

The whole room turned and stared at the long-haired male. He just sat there uncomfortably as he could feel their judging stares. Their eyes pierced right through him. They were judging him. They all probably thought he was fucking disgusting. He wanted to disappear. To melt away right then and there.

"You don't have to worry," said a soothing voice, "Some of our Danganronpa personalities and hobbies are fake. Just like Shinguji-kun and his... obsession. It's fake."

It was Kirumi who had spoken up. She also seemed to be uncomfortable.

"But why would they do something so... twisted?" Kaede asked, "It must've been hard for you, Shinguji-kun."

The boy just laughed nervously, "I-it's nothing at all, really."

"Really?"

Shinguji nodded as he wanted to shrivel even further back into his seat. At this point, he wanted to die.

"Well, that's probably our fault," Tsumugi said, "I think the person who created your personality got fired."

"Wait, why?!" Kaito asked, "Isn't that a bit much?"

"That is true," Kirumi said, "What is the point in firing someone over something like that?"

"Because it's disgusting," Tenko spat with bitterness.

_'And that person's a total dick maybe,'_ Miu added in her head.

_**'I told you that you had nothing to worry about,'**_ Kahoru thought.

_'Ah ah ah~'_ Angie thought, _'You never know~'_

"You'll understand soon enough," the Mastermind answered, "Hope you won't freak out."

"Huh?" Gonta asked, "Gonta does not understand."

Kaede smiled, "I don't think most of us do either. After all, most of our memories are fake..."

There was an uncomfortable silence that started to settle on the classroom like snow falling from the sky.

"Hm, I guess," Tsumugi hummed.

"What do you mean?" Kaede asked.

"Who knows?" the former said.

At that point, Maki wanted to seriously charge the girl and throw her out the nearest window. Tsumugi was just so damn annoying and perky. It was getting on her nerves. The brunette was fighting the raging urge to throw her fucking wheelchair at her.

"Of course I'm here," Tsumugi said, "And--"

"Hey, what about _your_ memories?~" Kokichi asked.

"Excuse me?" the bluenette asked.

"Your memories," the short boy said, "Do you have your real memories?"

Tsumugi smiled, "Of course!"

"Wait, but that's not fair!" Kaito shouted, "You get to keep yours and we have to lose ours?!"

"Well technically you didn't lose yours since you're going to get them back..." the bespectacled girl said, "But I'm the Mastermind. It's essential. Besides, you'll get yours back the same way you remember them. Guaranteed."

" _Sure_ ," Himiko yawned.

"Hm, Tojo-san, you are here, no?" Tsumugi asked, "Ah, there you are."

Kirumi nodded, putting her hand down.

"Hi Mom!~" Kokichi shouted.

"Hello, Ouma-kun," the silverette replied.

_'Kinky,'_ Miu thought.

"Yeah, good to see you!" Kaede exclaimed.

_'Is it?'_ the woman thought to herself, _'I highly doubt it.'_

_'She looks uncomfortable,'_ Ryoma thought, _'Kind of unlike her.'_

Actually, almost everyone was uncomfortable with the presence of all the murderers. Besides Kaede, because hers was an honest and failed attempt. But still, she did try to kill someone, which didn't sit exactly well for some of them.

"Yonaga-san," Tsumugi said, "Are you here?"

Korekiyo fought the urge to run out of the room.

"She is?!" Himiko asked while turning her head at rapid speeds, "Where?! I don't see her!"

"I agree!" Tenko added, "I haven't seen her at all!"

"Here," said a voice that sounded familiar but different at the same time.

Everyone turned their gaze to the dirty blonde. She waved politely.

"It is nice to see everyone!" she said in her usual peppy voice.

"You all know her as Yonaga-san," Tsumugi said, "But her real name is Miyamoto, Kahoru."

Himiko tilted her head, "Huh? She has two names? Nyeh, how confusing."

"No, more like two identities," Kiibo said, "Right...? W-why's everyone staring at me like that?!"

"Because that's basically the same thing?" Kokichi said.

"It is?" Kiibo asked, confused.

"Yeah kinda."

"Is... it really you?" Himiko asked, "For real?"

"Yep!" Angie cheered.

Himiko's eyes began to well up with tears from her already red eyes.

"Don't cry," Kahoru said, "Please don't cry."

She did. But not in the way Kahoru thought she would. Himiko stopped and stared at her.

"You're not... Yonaga-san..." she murmured as she stared at her lap.

_'That's not good,'_ Korekiyo thought.

"Wait, what?!" Kaito asked, "Two people in one body?!"

"No, two identities, more like it," Kirumi supplied.

"Whoa," Kokichi said, "That's cool."

**_'Not really,'_ **Kahoru thought drily.

"And Yumeno-san is here, that's everyone!" Tsumugi exclaimed.

"Isn't Chabashira-san going to hug Yumeno-san?" Gonta asked innocently.

Tenko's body froze as Himiko started to stiffen up. The little mage curled her hands up in her pants as she shook her head.

"No, I'm kind of tired so she's not," the redhead said.

"Oh," said the bespectacled male.

_'Huh, there's some tense atmosphere around them,'_ Kokichi thought, _'Did Chabashira have a change in heart about Yumeno?'_

"How about a move on?" Kaede asked, trying to change the topic.

_'She's always been good at uplifting the mood,'_ Shuichi thought, _'It's admirable.'_

_'Fucking finally that's over,'_ Miu thought, _'Everything was so fucking awkward. Bunch of pussies.'_

"Okay!" Tsumugi exclaimed, clapping her hand together, "Let's get to business. You're all here because you wanted to join Danganronpa. Of course, you don't remember that and we had to make up the fact that you were kidnapped. In fact, before the memory wipe, you all had your memories intact. Team Danganronpa had escorts pick you up on your way to school. Hence, the fact that you had no idea what was going on. You get what I'm talking about, right?"

The majority of the room nodded.

"That makes sense," Kaede said, "In the show we watched, I met Saihara-kun twice."

Shuichi nodded, "That's plausible. Considering how frazzled we looked in that situation. But I don't exactly remember getting kidnapped though. Ever."

"Duh, because our memories were wiped!" Kokichi interrupted.

"I was about to say that," Shuichi pointed out.

"Well, that's probably the most obvious solution," Rantaro said, "I mean, there's recorded evidence and everything."

"Unless it's fake," Maki spat with venom.

Tsumugi sighed, "And how would Team Danganronpa benefit from that?"

"Uh, how about we talk about something else?" Kaito interrupted.

"Gonta does not enjoy friends arguing!" Gonta commented.

"Friends?" Angie asked, tilting her head, "Angie does not see some people here as followers of Atua or friends."

_'That's not good,'_ Korekiyo thought in his head.

"Well, let's try not to argue, shall we?" Kaede asked.

"I agree," Kiibo added, "We should at least try to get along."

Kirumi nodded, "I believe we were all gathered here today to discuss something?"

Tsumugi grinned, "So glad you asked. Well, we're going to go over the show itself."

The bluenette reached behind her and pulled out a walkie-talkie. She clicked a button that made the device turn on as she lowered her mouth towards it.

"Can you send Takashima-san in?" she asked, "I need him to document a few things. Then we'll conduct the interview after they get their memories back to make sure they're stable. That good?"

"Roger that, Shirogane-san," a voice on the other end responded.

In a span of a few minutes, a male with chocolate brown hair and blue eyes entered the room. He held a clipboard with a ton of paper clipped onto it. He went to the side, pulled out a chair, and sat on it.

"Who is this?" Angie asked innocently.

"He's a part of the production team in Team Danganronpa," Tsumugi replied, "He's one of the people who make the plot and script for Danganronpa. This is Takashima, Ren."

"God, I just wanna go home already," the man said, ruffling his hair.

"Now, don't be like that, Ren! I'm sure you'll be able to leave soon!" Tsumugi reassured.

The man sighed, "Don't call me that just to try and get on my good side. That's just annoying. Just hurry up. I didn't drink my damn coffee and I feel like keeling over any moment now."

"Okay," Tsumugi chirped, "So what did you all think of the show?"

"I hate the fact that our memories were erased," Kaede admitted, "Now I don't remember who I really am."

"And it's an expensive process," Tsumugi said to Ren, "This is the first time the memory wipe also remains in effect outside of the simulation."

"At least it was good that we tested it," he told Tsumugi.

"Good for _you_ , that is," Maki said.

Tsumugi turned to look at her, "You're so _vocal_ today, Harukawa-san. Something the matter?"

"I have a question!" Kaito exclaimed as he tried to diffuse Maki's anger, "Is it true that some of our emotions and illnesses are scripted?!"

"Yep," Ren said groggily, "It just had to happen. Sorry about that. You need those pockets of spice in there."

"Have you ever considered what we thought about it?" Kirumi asked.

"She has a point," Shuichi added, "Did we have consent towards this?"

"Partial... consent," the brunette man said as he rubbed his eyes, "There was an issue that came up. I believe that was because of you, Shirogane-san?"

"What did she do?" Gonta asked, "Is it bad?"

"Hm..." Tsumugi hummed once again, "I guess that's what you think about it. I only changed up a few things for spice and excitement."

"Well that's fantastic," Kaito groaned.

"So this was without consent?" Korekiyo asked.

"Not exactly," Tsumugi answered.

Shuichi ruffled his hair, "This is all a bit confusing."

"And... a bit unfair," Tenko added as a side note.

"Agreed," Rantaro said.

"It must be especially hard on you," Himiko told him.

"Kinda," the green-haired boy admitted.

"Maybe I shouldn't do that next time," Tsumugi sighed, "But who knows? Last time was an emergency."

_'Emergency my fucking ass,'_ Miu thought huffing as she rolled her eyes.

"I just hated the killing game in general," Ryoma answered in a tired tone, "Isn't a show like that a bit morbid? Don't kids watch TV too?"

"Oh right!" Angie exclaimed as she suddenly switched to a calmer tone, "Shouldn't that be a bit of an issue?"

"Of course!" Tsumugi replied, "There's always an age warning before the show starts. And warnings. They know what they're watching. But parents should also monitor their children well. Anyway, you all agreed to participate in this game. You all knew what you were getting into. If you want proof, we can bring in signed paperwork. We have it all prepared. I'm sure you all had your reasons for joining Danganronpa."

"All private?" Kiibo asked disbelievingly.

"Private, of course," Ren pointed out, "We did not pry into your memories or personal lives at all unless you told us yourselves or if we needed to do a background check on you if we needed to. But I assure you, none of you had a background check."

"And what if one of us was actually a serial killer?" Rantaro asked, "A hypothetical question."

"We have cameras in almost all rooms, security is stationed all over the studio (especially now because of... certain people here), and all staff members are taught basic self-defense moves," Ren answered smoothly, "I usually carry a taser gun on myself as well."

"Ooh! Can I see?" Kokichi asked.

"No," the man said flatly, outright rejecting the boy.

"Aw..." the purple-haired boy wailed, "No fair!"

Crocodile tears began to well up in his eyes as he let out fat ugly sobs. No one really paid much heed to the boy's tantrum besides Gonta who had a worried face and Kaede who looked concerned.

"Cut the fake act and let's move on," the Team Danganronpa staff member ordered.

Kokichi huffed, the tears basically evaporating, "Fine. I expect something good after this."

"Yeah you will be getting something good," the man answered.

"REALLY?!" Kokichi exclaimed, "What is it?!"

"Your memories!" Tsumugi interrupted.

"Aw, boo," the smaller boy drawled.

The brunette man with blue eyes just scribbled some notes onto his paper as Tsumugi gazed at them as well. She pointed out several notes as they started to whisper with each other. Both of them either looking satisfied, frustrated, or neutral at some point.

"Okay!" Tsumugi sighed as she clasped her hands together, "Now, do you have any recommendations for us? Well? Anything? At all?"

"Stop the killing game?" Maki suggested.

"Ha! How funny," Tsumugi said, "Carrying that 'hope' back with you too?"

Maki began to clutch her wheelchair armrests again.

"Maybe no robots?" Kokichi teased to lighten the mood, "I mean--"

"Hey!" Kiibo shouted.

Tsumugi's co-worker groaned, " _Serious_ recommendations."

"Stop making the best and memorable characters die," Kokichi shot back.

"Yeah, I don't know about that," Tsumugi said.

"Do the executions have to be so brutal?" Kaede asked as the mood got darker, "I mean..."

The brunette man looked at her sympathetically, "I'm sorry you had to experience something as traumatizing and terrifying as that. But, that's the problem with some executions. We try to make it as less horrifying as possible, but some of our audience viewers just weren't satisfied with that."

"People like watching other people die?" Tenko asked, "That's..."

"A bit disturbing," Kahoru finished.

"That's a bit of an understatement," Rantaro added.

Gonta fiddled with his fingers, "Gonta does not... understand?"

Miu just looked so confused and distraught.

"Great. I guess the conspiracy theories are true about the world ending," Ryoma said drily.

"Wow, necromania is what they call it, right?" Kokichi whistled in awe while grinning and putting a hand behind his back.

"Other people like Danganronpa for the plot as well," Ren added, "The plot also matters. Along with character personality and development. Which was what we tried to emphasize this season."

"Don't forget about the trials and figuring out the strategy to how people were murdered!" Tsumugi added brightly.

"That's exciting?" Shuichi asked.

"The whole plot of teenagers or people trying to murder each other and get away with it is fascinating for some people," Tsumugi replied plainly, "Simple as that."

"Fuck... off," Rantaro muttered clutching his head as Himiko shot him reassuring looks.

"Language," Tsumugi tutted, "No cursing please."

"You've got to be kidding--!" Kaito bellowed, starting to get annoyed.

"For God's sake will you both please shut the fuck up?" Ren growled, "Let's just hurry up and get this over with."

"Hey, um, let's not--" Kaede started.

"Hello leader," Tsumugi said, "Back again for round two?"

"Let's negotiate this peacefully!" Kiibo squeaked, "We are not here to bicker amongst ourselves or for round two's!"

Shuichi stiffened, "I'm not letting Shirogane-san off the hook for that kind of attitude."

"It's rude and disrespectful!" Kaito added.

"Can we all just stop yelling?!" Tenko asked.

"Well, you're yelling too..." Tsumugi added.

Himiko glared at Tsumugi, "Nyeh! Hey, stop that!"

"Will everybody just stop talking?" Ren asked, "I get fucking migraines just being _near_ people."

"Hey now," Rantaro said, standing up, "Let's all talk this through."

"P-please be nice to each other!" Gonta exclaimed.

"Fight!" Kokichi shouted.

"Can we not do this right now?" Ryoma asked tiredly as Miu flashed middle fingers at Tsumugi.

"Everybody please calm down," Kirumi said.

"I agree!" Kiibo joined in, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves--"

Ren pulled out his taser, "Everybody better sit the fuck down, or--"

Maki flinched as she immediately tackled Ren despite her fatigued muscles. The taser clattered onto the ground and slid away. The brunette landed on the ground as she struggled to get up. Kirumi immediately picked it up as Ren walked towards her with an outstretched hand.

"Give me back my weapon," he demanded.

Kaito struggled to get out of his wheelchair as he came to Maki's aid.

"Give me the weapon," Ren repeated, "You're not supposed to be holding it."

"You were threatening to use it," Kirumi replied, "How can I trust you?"

"That's right!" Himiko shouted, "You might hurt us!"

"What is happening?" Korekiyo murmured under his breath.

Tsumugi pulled out her walkie-talkie and started to talk into it.

"Can I get some security in here?" she asked, "We have a bit of an... issue."

"You're calling security now, you coward?" Maki asked, glaring at her.

"Harukawa-san now's not the time," Shuichi pleaded, his gaze darting from her and Tsumugi.

"Everybody, please!" Kaede exclaimed.

Suddenly, everyone began talking over another as words collided and came out as a mess of noise. Kaede and Kiibo were trying to diffuse the situation; Shuichi and Kaito were holding back Maki from tearing Tsumugi apart; Gonta, Korekiyo, Tenko, and Kahoru were watching in sheer confusion and horror; Himiko was angry at Ren while Kirumi was confronting him; Miu was burning with quiet fear and anger; and Ryoma just wanted to take a nap God da--

CRASH

Everybody stopped talking to each other and it became increasingly quiet. Rantaro stared at the chair that was now on the ground with Kokichi standing next to him.

"How about we discuss this like calm and rational people?" the green-haired boy suggested.

The door opened up as three security guards entered. They all pointed at Kirumi, who was standing with Ren's taser gun. They held up pistols at her as there were collective gasps in the room. Shoulders stiffened, eyes widened, faces paled, and jaws dropped. Anger and fear spiked.

"Hey, you can't do that!" Himiko protested.

"Is pointing guns as her really necessary?" Kaede added as the nervous feeling in her stomach kicked up a couple notches, "How about we not use aggressive behavior?"

"Agreed," Kiibo said.

"Drop the weapon first," one of the security guards demanded.

The ex-Ultimate Maid dropped the weapon and took three uneven steps back as Ren went to pick up the taser. He pocketed it and huffed.

"You guys just stand outside. We'll be fine."

 Security went outside and closed the door.

"Everybody get seated," Ren sighed, "I think we're done here."

"Me too," Kokichi added.

The brunette man picked up his fallen clipboard as he scribbled in a few more notes.

"I believe my time is done here Shirogane-san," Ren said, "There's a meeting at five, be sure to be there. I'm sure the equipment for receiving their memories back is ready, so make your way done to that room... and... I think that's it."

"Thank you so much for joining us today," Tsumugi said as she smiled, acting as if none of that ever happened.

"Crazy stuff day in and day out," Ren sighed, "I'll see you later."

The man exited through a door and left. Tsumugi crossed her legs and grinned.

"So, want to get back your memories now?" she asked, "I promise they're real this time."

She pulled out her walkie-talkie again.

"Can some staff come in to aid some of the patients, please?" she asked.

A few moments later, a handful of staff came in through a door as Tsumugi directed some at certain people. The bluenette led the way out of the room and towards an elevator.

"This way, please," she said, pressing a button.

The doors opened as some people moved to get inside. They stopped when Tsumugi blocked them with her arm.

"Ah, the weight capacity," Tsumugi said as she pulled out her device, "Ren? Can you get back over here? I forgot about the elevator limit. Can you take half of them and I'll do the other half?"

"Sure," came a crackling reply.

They waited for a minute when the same man from earlier was seen walking towards them. This time, he was holding a cup of coffee as he drank it and sighed.

"I'm here," he said, "Let's go."

He opened the door again as he led half of them inside.

"I'll radio you back when we get off," Ren told her as he closed the door.

The other half of the group waited as Tsumugi tapped her foot on the ground. That's when there was a crackling sound that echoed from Tsumugi's walkie-talkie.

"Hurry up."

The bluenette pressed the button as the other half of the group boarded on with her. She pressed floor four as the elevator began to move up. When the doors opened, Tsumugi and the group behind her gathered up with Ren and his group. Together, they walked towards a room with large double doors and security guards in front of it.

"Hello, we're here for the memory transfer," Tsumugi said, "Staff, you can leave. Only executive staff and Danganronpa patients beyond this point."

A group of staff members began to leave as Tsumugi lined them up at a scanner.

"Just place your hand on it. It'll identify you and let you in," she explained.

Tsumugi demonstrated as she placed her whole right hand onto the scanner as the green screen turned blue. A light glossed over her hand as it beeped. Her name and profile picture popped up onto the screen as the door opened.

Each and everyone did the same thing as they all passed through. The inside was white, had different computers and machinery, a shelf full of documents, and about eight devices that similarly resembled the simulation pods they were in

"The process of getting back your memories is about five minutes," the bluenette girl explained, "You'll sit down over there because you might get a headache. We have some Tylenol and water if it's bad."

Ren cleared his throat, "I'll get the machines started."

Tsumugi grinned and clasped her hands as she turned towards her fellow classmates. There was a strange feeling of relief and dread emitting from the girl. It was a bit unnerving and uncomfortable for some of them. The bluenette was shaking with excitement and fervor.

"So, since we can only go eight at a time, who wants to go first?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a bit ashamed that this wasn't what I was expecting of myself, but oh well. I just should've gotten this done earlier. Hoped you liked it because buckle up, it's flashback time.


	15. Memory Process | All

Tsumugi made Ren start up the machines as she approached her former classmates.

"Did you guys decide who's going first?" the bluenette asked, "Whoever is going first, step forward."

Kokichi grinned widely, "Let's pull straws and see who goes first!"

"Longest or shortest?" Himiko asked groggily.

"Let''s go for shortest," Shuichi suggested, "It doesn't really matter anyway."

Tsumugi smiled and excused herself from the room.

\---

The bespectacled girl came back in with a handful of straws in one grasp. She approached the group of students as they all pulled a straw. Silently, they all looked at the different sized straws they had. Kaito, who had the longest one, grimaced as Kokichi laughed at his demise. Kaede worriedly stared at the one in her hand as it fit perfectly in her palm. Maki did the same as she clutched hers tightly, almost piercing through the material. Kokichi cackled as he waved the shortest straw in Kaito's face whereas the taller male just scowled. Rantaro looked at his cut straw next to Himiko who was hesitantly holding hers as well. Shuichi didn't mind that he had drawn a longer straw. Tenko just held her straw close to her as she sat on the floor to wait and go with the second round of students. Gonta smiled as he began to show everyone his short straw. The ex-Ultimate Maid held them small piece of straw in her hand as she stared at Ryoma's small straw as well.

"So, we have our first eight!" Tsumugi chirped, "Who's going first?! Step forward."

Miu just made a cringed expression as Tsumugi's demeanor reminded her of some "carnival fuck". Kaede, Maki, Kokichi, Rantaro, Himiko, Gonta, Kirumi (who decided to push Ryoma) came forward. The bluenette grinned as she started to bring them one by one to different pods and help them inside. Once they were all assembled inside, Tsumugi clapped her hands together.

"Ren! Let's get this started!" she shouted.

"I never gave you permission to use my last name, you know," the said male called back, "Shirogane-san."

"Ah! Too bad," she said, her attitude immediately changing.

_'Is she bipolar or something?'_ some of them thought.

The pods started to close as they began to glow.

"Whoa," Tenko gasped.

_'High tech, holy shit!'_ Miu thought as she wiped the drool from her mouth.

"Wait, we're going to do that too, right?" Kaito asked, "That's cool! It's almost like a rocket!"

"They look awfully familiar," Kiibo commented, "This place looks familiar as well."

Tsumugi turned, "That's because you've been here before."

"Wait, what?!" Kiibo cried, "I have?!"

"I assume that it has to do with his real memories?" Shuichi asked.

"Correct," Tsumugi said, "Spot on, Saihara-kun. Didn't expect any less from you."

"Yeah! That's my sidekick!" Kaito shouted.

Shuichi just chuckled.

"Soooooo, when does the machine stop?" Angie asked.

"In five minutes," Tsumugi replied, "It's a delicate process after all."

"Uh, if it's 'delicate', shouldn't it be longer?" Kiibo asked.

"The process used to be soooo long," Tsumugi drawled, "Right, Takashima-san?"

"Yeah," he replied.

"But then I came in and fixed it," Tsumugi said, smiling.

"Fuck off," the male across the room called with a raised middle finger, "It was me that fixed it."

"Right again!" Tsumugi giggled, "My bad."

The machines began to beep once more as everyone watched closely.

"Shirogane-san," Ren said, "Go to Pod One. It's about to eject the person inside."

Tsumugi calmly walked over and stood in front of the pod. A few seconds passed as it opened. Smoke poured out as Maki gasped, choking on whatever she was breathing. The girl was shaking and trembling with wide eyes. Tsumugi obviously knew that it was shock. She sighed, some people just didn't take big news that well.

"There there," she reassured as she patted the shocked brunette's shoulder, "It's alright."

The girl kept hacking as she let out shaky breaths. Sweat began to run down her face as she held up her hands. Slowly, Maki began to close them for some strange reason.

_'It can't be... is this... real?'_ the brunette thought, _'No way...'_

"Yes way?" Tsumugi said as if she read Maki's thoughts, "You're in shock. Let's go lie down." Suddenly, the bluenette grew serious, her attitude changing again.

Tsumugi led Maki out of the pod as the latter was let down into her wheelchair. Tsumugi pushed her over to the wall as Maki slumped in her wheelchair with a blank expression on her face. The others looked worriedly at her.

"Maki-Roll!" Kaito called, "You alright?"

The girl refused to meet his gaze, telling him that she wasn't, and that now probably wasn't the best time to go to her. Tsumugi walked back to the rest of them.

"Don't talk to her at the moment," Tsumugi informed, "She's just... processing what she's seen. She'll be fine. Don't worry about it."

"Are you sure?" Shuichi asked, "She looks... scared."

"Shouldn't we help her?" Tenko asked.

"I agree," Kiibo added, "She doesn't look well."

"She'll be fine," Tsumugi said, "It's her own memories after all. You all should be worrying about your own memories after all."

"Tch!" Kaito spat.

"We should leave her alone for now," Kahoru advised, "She might break down if we pressure her in any way."

"I agree," Korekiyo added quietly, "Humans are a fragile thing."

Miu just stared silently.

"Shirogane-san," Ren said, "Go to Pod Three."

"On it," the girl responded.

Tsumugi rushed over to a pod as it opened up. Inside was Kaede. Unlike Maki, the girl calmly opened her eyes as she blankly stared at the bluenette. The bespectacled girl could immediately tell that the blonde had changed from just a single glance.

"What is hope?" Tsumugi asked, as if to taunt her.

The girl didn't respond as she just got up. Tsumugi began to help her as Kaede brushed her off. The blonde just slowly walked over to where Maki was on her own and sat on the ground next to her. The whole time, Tsumugi had followed closely behind to ensure if the blonde ever fell over, the bluenette would be able to catch her. Tsumugi then walked back over to the other group of students. Shuichi looked like he was on the verge of running up to Kaede, had Kaito not harshly whispered to him or Kahoru grabbed his arm and shook her head at him. The ex-Ultimate Detective looked distraught as Tsumugi thought it was a bit amusing.

"Pod Two will open in a few seconds," Ren announced.

Tsumugi made her way over to it as she waited. Once it opened, Himiko's eyes blinked tiredly as she then stared at Tsumugi's face.

"You must be lying," the red head accused, "These memories must be fake." The little girl spoke in such a quiet voice that Tsumugi could barely hear her.

"It's true," the bluenette replied seriously, "You can ask your parents if you'd like."

The little girl's face contorted with anger as she wanted to wrap her delicate hands around the bluenette's neck. But she was too weak and tired to get up, so she reluctantly accepted the bluenette's aid to get to the other two girls leaning against the wall. To everyone's surprise, Himiko scooted away from Maki and Kaede.

"Sh-shouldn't we do something?" Tenko asked.

_'Well why don't you go do something?'_ Tsumugi thought.

"Not now," the bespectacled girl said, "What's the next one, Takashima-san?"

"Pod Five," the male yawned, "Ten seconds."

The bluenette walked over to the pod as she waited. Once ten seconds passed, the pod opened up as Gonta laid motionless for a few seconds.

"Gokuhara-kun," she whispered, "Gokuhara-kun. Wake up."

The large male opened his eyes. He smiled, but his eyes were glassy.

"I'm getting up," he said.

_'So originally, he said "I" and "me",'_ Shuichi thought, _'But that's not important right now.'_

Gonta was taken to his walker as he hobbled to where the others were with Tsumugi carefully guiding him.

"Pod Seven, five seconds," Ren said as he continued to keep an eye on the monitor screens.

"This is kind of stressful to watch for some reason," Kiibo commented.

"Agreed," Kaito whispered back.

When the pod opened, Tsumugi carefully carried the sleeping Ryoma and placed him into his wheelchair. She quietly wheeled him over to the corner where the others were. For some strange reason, Tsumugi didn't bother waking the male up as she just went back to her duties.

"Pod Four and Six are about to open," Ren said, "I'm having a little trouble with Pod Eight. They might come out a bit later. I'm willing to bet it's the guy with amnesia."

Tsumugi went over to one of the pods Ren mentioned. When it opened, she saw the neutral expression of Kirumi Tojo inside.

"Not surprised?" Tsumugi asked.

"Headache," the female replied.

So Tsumugi took Kirumi to the corner, carefully making her sit down. The bluenette then gave the silver-haired woman a bottle of water an a Tylenol. Tsumugi then rushed to the already open pod and helped Kokichi up. His face didn't betray any emotion as he just kept smiling. He grinned as Tsumugi pushed him over to the others. Then he took a bottle of water from Tsumugi and drank it. Then Tsumugi headed over the remaining student who had yet to regain their memories.

"Ready?" she asked.

One by one, Tsumugi helped them into the pods. She carefully helped Shuichi in, as he was weak and tired from one of the people not being able to move the longest. Miu profusely rejected any help, going as far as flipping the bespectacled girl off and sneering at her. Kaito needed some help as he reluctantly allowed her to help support his weight. Tenko's face looked conflicted as she felt the need to shove Tsumugi off, but her inner consciousness screamed at her that Tsumugi was a girl. Tsumugi then helped Angie, who looked at her and said "no thank you," with one of her rare signature dark looks. Kiibo was also in need of assistance as he let Tsumugi help him inside. Though, he clearly was unhappy about it. Korekiyo felt uncomfortable at Tsumugi's forwardness, as he shook his head at her and said that he was capable of getting in on his own. After the bluenette had finished, the pods began to close, and the second cycle had begun.

"Shirogane-san," Ren said, "The remaining pod from the first group is about to open up."

Tsumugi walked over to Rantaro's pod and waited. A few moments went by as it then opened. When she peered inside, Rantaro was already awakening. Once he regained full consciousness, his eyes widened as he immediately sat up.

"Wait--" Tsumugi said as Rantaro hit his head onto pod lid that was still opening up.

THUNK

The green-haired male landed back onto the pod bed as he opened his mouth to let out a silent cry. Clenching his teeth and shutting his eyes, he held his hand over his face. Tsumugi kept repeatedly asking him if he was okay, constantly trying to make sure that nothing bad had happened to him. Then, Rantaro sat up after a span of five minutes.

"Amami-kun," Tsumugi said, "Are you alright?"

He then winced, clutching his head. Rantaro didn't respond or look like he had even heard her. He opened his eyes as they widened.

"Amami-kun," she repeated, "Are you okay?"

"A... mami?" he asked, turning his head, "What... Where am I?"

She looked at him, "Do you know who I am?"

"Who... are you?" he asked.

* * *

Meanwhile, the other classmates were all sitting in the corner. Himiko had scrunched her fists up as she clutched the fabric of the hospital gown, whispering to herself "she's lying" or "what a--(and then some insult after that)". As much as Kaede tried to comfort the little girl, the blonde herself looked emotionless. The spark in her eyes were gone. Her genuine personality seemed to be covered up by some dull mask. The little red head paid no attention to the blonde, who just now patted the little girl's back.

Maki didn't say anything, but was also thinking the same words Himiko was saying. Although her thoughts were more tame than what came out of the little mage's mouth, they were from the same idea: that Tsumugi had shown them something fake. The brunette wasn't talking. She was just staring blankly at nothing. It felt like she was sitting on nothing. That she was nothing. Gonta on the other hand, looked as if he was a bit content with himself. He looked unfazed with the whole situation.

_'Lucky,'_ Maki thought, _'Maybe he had a great and genuine life.'_

Then she told herself to stop those thoughts. She was thinking so ludicrously that she was angry at Gonta of all people. The only person making her angry was herself. The only person that brought this onto her was herself, so she needed to stop and just suck it up because that was reality.

Kirumi just rubbed her temples as the headache wouldn't go away. As she felt used to the lightness of her bones and how weak she felt. It was normal. This was normal. And that she was weaker because she needed more food. But, she probably wasn't going to even eat any anyway. It would probably go to waste anyway. It wouldn't even contribute to anything.

Ryoma slept soundly. Well, it's not like he wanted to. All that sleepiness just overcame him and lulled him to sleep. The tiredness that resonated throughout his entire body, forcing his brain to shut down. Had he been awake at the moment, he probably would've been pissed that he fell asleep so suddenly. Thing was, he wasn't. He was still sleeping. Dreaming of something. Or he could be dreaming of nothing because all the time he slept must've drained out all the dreams due to the fact that he fell tired so easily so much. He still needed a ways to go, huh?

Kokichi felt perfectly fine. He looked like it too. All he needed was some water, and he would probably be back in tip top shape, huh? He just felt really, really empty. And he felt satisfied too. As some say, "new year, new me". Kokichi could understand the feeling. With his real memories back, he could understand. And nobody could tell him otherwise. He didn't have to cower no more. Because it turns out the timid mouse was a wolf in sheep's clothing. Or, mouse's clothing. Whatever fit better. At last, he was satisfied. He was happy.

Gonta was pretty satisfied with his life. He didn't mind it at all in the slightest. In fact, he was rather relieved at the fact that he wasn't the same stuttering mess he was in the game. The way he acted in the game made him feel useless and just downright pathetic. He was content with his life. He was satisfied with the result he had seen. Gonta was 99% sure that it was all real. It felt authentic. And he was fine with his life. Sure, maybe a bit guilt ridden, but he was pretty fine with it for now.

* * *

Tsumugi panicked. This had never happened, rarely ever. Not only did Rantaro already have brain damage, did he completely forget who she was? She told him to lay down as she went over to Ren.

_Fuck._

"Takashima-san," she hissed, "We have a problem."

The man took a deep breath as he held out two hands, "Don't worry. Let him rest first. What is he--?"

"He's sleeping," Tsumugi breathed quietly as she peered at his sleeping form.

"Then let him sleep," Ren said, "I'll radio in an emergency team. We have to gently transport him or he'll panic. For now, let's focus on our current jobs. Pod Five is going to release first in thirty seconds."

"Got it," the said girl replied.

Thank goodness Rantaro didn't question anything and stayed silent.

She ran over to a pod and stood over it, waiting for it to open.

"It's going to open now."

Once the lid opened up all the way, Tsumugi stared at the face of Tenko Chabashira. Her face had gone deathly pale and her pupils had shrunken in fear. She looked absolutely horrified. The girl just lay there, absolutely petrified. She wasn't even moving. She was shock.

"Chabashira-san," she whispered gently, "It's time to go."

"H-hgh," the girl whispered, inaudible whispers escaping her mouth.

"Are you alright?" Tsumugi asked, thinking about the time she first saw her video audition.

The girl didn't respond as she numbly took Tsumugi's hand. The bluenette slid her walker over to the girl as the two of them walked towards the other end of the room. She could feel Tenko stiffen as Himiko looked up at them. Then Tenko even hid behind her. Wow, who knew that a day where these sort of things occurred would come.

"Chabashira-san," Tsumugi whispered, "Are you not comfortable around Yumeno-san?"

It was small, but she saw the girl nod her head yes. Tsumugi immediately took the hint and made sure to place Tenko far, far away from the small girl. She wasn't exactly aware that the two knew each other in their real lives, but she did recall one of Himiko's friends recognizing Tenko. But then the friend brushed it off as her seeing things wrong. Tsumugi grabbed a water bottle and gave it to Tenko. The poor girl was shaking so hard, her fingers helplessly slipped off the cap. The bluenette took the bottle and opened it for the girl. She then aided Tenko to drink so water didn't spill all over the floor. After Tenko finished drinking, she just leaned forward on her walker and looked at the floor. Tsumugi then left as she had other important things to do. She then walked over to Ren who looked up at her.

"Will she be alright?" he asked.

"She'll be fine," Tsumugi replied, "Probably shaken up. We'll take care of it."

"Great," Ren said, "The medical team is coming in a few minutes. They'll take care of it. But let's put that aside for now. Pod Three is about to open."

The bluenette nodded as she rushed over to the said pod. When it opened, she saw the face of Kahoru Miyamoto. Even though it was her face, Tsumugi could tell from time to time whenever her "other personality" kicked in. The sparkle she saw in Angie Yonaga's eyes were in Kahoru's. It was when Tsumugi knew it was that small girl full of charisma and carefree spirit. It was just barely there. Barely existing.

Because she was aware of her existence. Aware of the reason of her existence.

"I'm fine," the girl said, before Tsumugi could ask.

Then Kahoru briskly sat up and walked on her own to her walker. Tsumugi was about to yell at her for moving around so rashly without her permission, but decided to let the girl off.

Who was she to tell her when it was her own decision?

Kahoru walked by herself, radiating confidence, independence, and diligence. She stood near the wall by herself. Then the girl sat down on the floor by herself. Then she pulled up her legs to her chest by herself. And sat there. By herself.

Tsumugi couldn't linger on it any longer as Ren called her over. The moment she reached him, a group of people came through the door. Ren signaled them and pointed at the pod containing Rantaro. A couple of them went to put Rantaro in a stretched as one approached them.

"That's the one?" they asked Ren.

"Yep," the male responded, "He already had signs of brain damage, but he hit his head against the pod and... lost all his memories, right, Shirogane-san?"

Tsumugi nodded, "Takahima-san, any more pods?"

"Six and seven," he said.

The bluenette rushed over to the two pods. One of them opened to reveal Kaito. His face turned white, then purple, then red. The boy clenched his fists and muttered under his breath, counting to ten. When he opened his eyes, he looked at Tsumugi. The bespectacled girl just rushed away and came back with his wheelchair. The boy was helped up and placed on the wheelchair. She took him to the others, noticing how he was tightly gripping the handles of the wheelchair.

_'Is he restraining his anger?'_ she thought, _'He was very... hot blooded when I met him.'_

She left him alone as he angrily shot her a look that basically told her to fuck off. So the bluenette then went to to Pod Six. When she reached it, she discovered Shuichi inside. He looked confused. Puzzled. And crushed. Huh. She never knew she would be able to see all those emotions in one face. Nice.

"You alright, dear protagonist?" she asked, grinning.

"Shut up," he mumbled, too weak to get up.

Tsumugi helped him up and onto his wheelchair. Was Shuichi shocked? Disgusted? Happy? She wouldn't know. But she wanted to know. Too bad she can't ask or Ren will yell at her.

"So how do you feel?" she asked.

She can't help it. And she doesn't really care if Ren yells at her. Still, Shucihi didn't respond. His face twitched, as if he was annoyed. Was she making him annoyed.

"Did you hear me?" she asked, "How do you feel."

Some creepy half grin made its way onto Shuichi's face. Ah. He was fighting a smile. Tsumugi grinned. She had her answer. She put Shuichi aside and headed towards Ren. He glared pointedly at her.

"What did I say about the questions?" he asked.

She just smiled, "Don't ask too much. I didn't ask too much. Just a bit. No worries. It's not like I got an answer out of him."

He just shook his head, "The last three pods. You sure took your damn time with the other two. I'll grab number four. You get two and one."

The bluenette complied. Kiibo appeared to be calm and rational. He didn't question her. He didn't fight against her. And although she could feel the the distrust within him, she could also see trust in his eyes. He let her do whatever. He responded to her questions and wasn't tense at all.

"That's the old Idabashi we all know and love!" she exclaimed.

He didn't reply.

Korekiyo was shocked. And more shy than ever. Well, it made sense with his status. He was very popular and it was so damn hard to get a hold of him. But this way, the Danganronpa franchise could expand. He shriveled away at her touch as was so wary of her. But, it made sense, so she kept her distance.

"I swear to God," she heard Ren mutter to her, "That blonde one was hella jumpy and fidgety. Looked like she was about to start crying. Fuck, I would've fell onto my knees because of that."

The thought almost made the bluenette snort.

* * *

Okay, so Korekiyo had to get this all fucking straight. All he knew was that he was an ordinary Japanese boy who was poor and wanted to support his family and siblings. Now, he is a worldwide known figure? What? Nah. He was just confused. Korekiyo decided not to look too much into it right now and focus on the current situation at hand. Honestly, he thought that everyone looked wrecked. The first group looked a bit better than theirs, but he never noticed how empty or drained everyone looked. And Rantaro was gone. Something must've gone wrong.

Shuichi felt really weird. He remembered. The weird fascinations. His ramblings. How he would collect random merchandise and post stuff all on a blog. All in all, he felt terrible. In his memory, his fascination had gone way too far in his opinion. From long nights to constantly eating only cup noodles. And how Danganronpa was his only reason and will to live. His life was pointless. How he could barely survive on the amount of money his parents sent him, to how he completely disregarded his health. Well, that wasn't good. It was so bad, he didn't see what was happening to him and who really cared for him.

Kahoru felt so out of place. Felt so strange. So disgusted with herself. Why did she do this? Freedom? Rebellion? Fun? What was fun? She had to dedicate her life to much more important things than that. Maybe that's why. Stress? Loneliness? Who knows. Kahoru was a coward. Going as far as changing her face and identity for the taste of a forbidden fruit.

Kaito just didn't care anymore. He felt anger rushing up through his veins. Frustration boiled up in his stomach as he grit his teeth and clenched his wheelchair handles. God, he just wanted to fucking throw his wheelchair at the damned bluenette standing innocently across the room. Kaito was tempted to slap himself as he thought calmly and rationally.

_'Okay, now isn't the best time to beat the actual crap out of her. Let's not focus on that.'_

Great. At least he wasn't feeling as angry as before. He coughed as he place his hand on his thigh. Right. He didn't have pockets. No pockets meant no cigarettes.

The blonde trembled as she gripped the sides of her arms. She was shaking like a leaf and she hated it. Miu hated it when she looked weak. Eyes. They were looking at her. And now she looked weak and she hated it with a passion. Well, something she could always agree with, no matter what personality. Wait, was she going to cry now? Fantastic, the last thing she wanted. Why? Why now? Now everyone was going to make fun of her? She was just so... nervous and she hated it. Miu felt so insecure, she wanted to die. She wanted to sleep. Wanted to disappear. Why? Why did Tsumgui do that when she requested for her character not to be like that?

Kiibo wanted to rush to Miu's side, but a logical part of him told him to stay. He was just going to cause more trouble. He just had to do his job and he could finally be happy. Kiibo stared blankly at his classmates around him. They all looked tired. He truly felt bad. But he also found it strange. It was weird. Before when he was a robot, he could feel human emotions, like they were authentic. Now that he regained his memory when he, himself was a human, he felt more empty than ever.

Tenko wanted to leave, but she didn't know where to go. Anywhere besides outside. Anywhere besides her school. Anywhere besides her home. Anywhere besides Himiko. Questions flooded Tenko's brain at the speed of lightning as she was so shocked and confused at the little girl's actions. Why act this way? For what reason? Why was she chosen? Why couldn't the situation just change and be different? Why was she asking these weird questions? Besides, she was just distracting herself with a more serious situation. Two, actually. The bruises and the friend that forgot her.

* * *

"Did you get their survey interviews?" Ren asked.

Tsumugi nodded then pouted, "I really wanted to do a face to face interview... if only they let me."

"Too bad for you," Ren said, not feeling bad at all, "What did they say?"

"Most of them are confused," Tsumugi said as she waved around a tablet, "Shinguji-kun especially. You know, since he's an idol and all..."

"Yeah, and he's got a fucking stalker that's been trying to get inside for the past week?" Ren said, "Feel bad for the guy. He's still a teenager, after all."

Tsumugi barked out a laugh, skimming over the subject, "Look at that! Momota-kun is angry! I expected it, but not so much as he would even tell me to eat shit and rot in hell! It's so... fascinating on how they change based on memory alteration. Like Iruma-san. Instead of crude and vulgar, she's actually shy and timid. Tojo-san is supposedly diligent and reliable, but turns out she's actually insecure. And Harukawa-san. Hilarious, I tell you. She's more of a liar than Ouma-kun is. What a hypocrite. Still, Ouma-kun is still lying. And Akamatsu-san. You know? Turns out her hope was just something we fabricated. Her real personality is like the opposite side of a coin. A light switch!"

"You get way too much out of this," Ren sighed.

Tsumugi grinned, "Ah, well I can't help it."

 

**Questions:**

**How are you feeling?**

**Do you miss your family?**

**Would you do this again or recommend it to anybody?**

 

**Kaede Akamatsu:**

**1) Like absolute garbage, if you know what that feels like.**

**2) Of course I miss them! They're my family. Though, it's not like I'm dying to go back to them.**

**3) Never ever again. If people want to do it then that's up to them. It's not my problem. Interfering just makes things worse.**

 

**Rantaro Amami:**

**1) N/A**

**2) N/A**

**3) N/A**

 

**Tenko Chabashira:**

**1) I'm not exactly sure right now. I don't really want to talk right now. I kind of feel nauseated. I feel scared. I don't even know anymore.**

**2) That's not a question I'm exactly sure about right now. Though, I have a friend I'm missing right now.**

**3) I guess it depends on the person. How it will benefit them.**

 

**Gonta Gokuhara:**

**1) I feel fine. I feel normal, actually. It was a new experience, but it was rather heartbreaking as well.**

**2) Of course. I miss them all the time. They're always so worried about me, I wonder how they felt when they saw me on TV**

**3) Maybe if you were a little more tough than something that could break so easily. It's an experience like no other, but you have to be tough and strong willed to be able to pull through. Keep a cool and level head.**

 

**Maki Harukawa:**

**1) Like garbage right now. I hate you Tsumugi Shirogane. You're lying to me. Rot in hell.**

**2) Yes. They treat me correctly and they are the closest thing I have. Now leave please.**

**3) I don't even know why people would even do these things, but it's such a fun experience. Yeah, I did it for the fun of it. I'm so glad I did this show and I hope the viewers enjoyed seeing it as well. If you want to do it, go for it.**

 

**Ryoma Hoshi:**

**1) Tired. As usual. And I feel like I'm about to keel over.**

**2) Yeah. They've done a lot for me. Even making me do this. They respected my decision even though they didn't want to pressure me.**

**3) It was shit. Honest to God, I feel like my guts were ripped out. But it should benefit me. If you want to do it, go ahead. I don't recommend it thought.**

 

**Miu Iruma:**

**1) I'm actually feeling a little tired right now, but you don't have to worry about that or anything.**

**2) I guess I am. It's been a while since I've been home. Maybe I can stay here a little longer before I go back though?**

**3) I might have not enjoyed it, but others could do it if they wanted to. They don't have to. There's no pressure.**

 

**Kiibo Idabashi:**

**1) A bit weary, but I assure you I will be back to my feet soon.**

**2) A bit. I guess you could say I'm a bit homesick, wouldn't you?**

**3) Mine's was for experimental and personal reasons, so others could do it based on their on opinions.**

 

**Kokichi Ouma:**

**1) Tired, but I'll be fine! Absolutely!**

**2) Hm, I kind of do. But who knows? I really don't have to tell you, do I?**

**3) Depends on you. Mine's was a pretty shitty experience because of how I died, but maybe if I survived it would've been muuuuch better. >:)**

 

**Kaito Momota:**

**1) Like crap, and you know why Shirogane. I hope you eat shit and rot in hell, because honestly that was crap! Terrible! I hope you [Redacted due to use of language] and die!**

**2) Why do I have to tell you that?! You're always asking and taking! I fucking hate this!**

**3) Do whatever the fuck you want! That was such a pain in my ass! I don't have to answer anything! Eat shit and die!**

 

**Shuichi Saihara:**

**1) A bit tired, so I'm going to rest after this.**

**2) I don't know. My family lives in a different city for their jobs. I'm actually pretty much alone besides a friend.**

**3) Ah, I previously was a fan, but I don't know about right now. The experience was horrifying. Though, the realistic touch to it was amazing. It makes me wonder how much work is put into this. How they make character designs and decide on Ultimate Talents. On how long it takes to create one season. How much money is made. How the characters are amazing. And it's very strange on how I'm captivated by most of the detectives and whatnot. That's not important. It depends on the person, I guess.**

 

**Korekiyo Shinguji:**

**1) A bit tired, but I'll be fine. Thank you for asking.**

**2) I haven't seen my family in a while, but I do miss them as of the moment.**

**3) I guess it depends on what you want. It was a new experience and I thank you for letting me be a part of it.**

 

**Kirumi Tojo:**

**1) Tired. That's all. I just need to rest. A bit mind blown, but I'll be fine.**

**2) I guess.**

**3) It was fun while it lasted. Though, I wish I looked a bit different than what the final product is. It honestly makes me want to throw up when I think about it. I'm serious. But it's a fun opportunity unless you are affected easily by these sorts of things.**

 

**Angie Yonaga/Kahoru Miyamoto:**

**1) A bit winded and tired, but I'll be fine. Trust me. I can take it.**

**2) Of course. They support me in every way and know what's best for me. I miss them dearly/**

**3) It depends on the person. Though it was entertaining to watch the trials.**

 

**Himiko Yumeno:**

**1) Don't talk to me.**

**2) Yes. Don't talk to me.**

**3) No. It was terrible. Don't talk to me.**

 

Tsumugi chuckled as she put the tablet away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry. This was so late. Writer's block sucks and this chapter was boring.
> 
> On another note: If you're a fan of Danganronpa, I recommend playing Your Turn to Die. It's free guys. It's so good.
> 
> EXPAND 👏 THE 👏 FANDOM 👏

**Author's Note:**

> First work on AO3, so please don't be angry if something goes wrong, I have no idea what I'm doing. Update schedule will be random, sorry. Please enjoy the story!


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